Momo: Action Hero or Cat Burglar?
by Dwellin
Summary: Becoming aware of just how much Aizen deceived her, Momo decides to become a protector of those she loves and sets out to become stronger and an asset to the Soul Society, while also finding love along the way. Mainly Hina/Hitsu some Rukia/Ichigo, Renji/Isane, Kiyone/Izuru and ?. Adventure/Romance/Humor/ever so slight bit of angst
1. The Soul Awakens

_Bleach does not belong to Dwellin_.

Updated: 9-20-12

**Momo Hinamori: Cat Burglar? Action Hero?**

**Chapter One**

**When the Soul Awakens**

"'Aizen didn't mean it', she says", huffed the shinigami captain as sweat rolled down his naked back and torso despite the chill in the air. Muscles bunched and snapped under taut skin as he lifted and swung the living blade. It whistled through the air leaving a glacial breeze in its wake.

Dirt clods and stone chips went flying as the pressure from his sword cut through rock and earth with the ease of a hot knife through butter.

"'He's being controlled by Ichimaru!' she says!" came out in curt, harsh pants, as reiatsu flared with his anger.

SMASH! CRACK! RUMBLE! The sound of earth and stone shattering ripped through the air. Unnoticed crevices and stress fractures formed under the feet of the sweating and disheveled shinigami, spreading out in all directions into the surrounding countryside. Once the rumbling quieted, the only sound that could be heard in the aftermath was the heavy panting of the person responsible for the upheaval.

Impatiently the male shinigami waited to regain his breath. Stopping to rest meant that the scene from the morning's visit with Hinamori replayed over and over again in his mind's eye. It wasn't as if he wanted to remember, but for once, having a photographic memory was a curse.

He heard again, the words as if they were burned into his brain, which was why he was here, to purge all the excess of emotions threatening to overflow him. Rage, despair, and frustration, were feelings he was unaccustomed to dealing with, and adding insult to injury was the fact that Hinamori was so naively blind that she couldn't see the truth about Aizen! It was a tie as to which was worse, the grief strangling him or the jealousy; no maybe it was the unreasoning hatred he felt for the captain of the Fifth! Aizen the perfect, Aizen the kind… Aizen, everyone's favorite! It just about made his stomach heave. Then, on top of all that… No he mustn't allow those thoughts through. That's why he came out here, on the edges of nowhere to work out all that was threatening to possess him and drown him from within.

Wiping the rivulets of sweat from dripping forehead with the back of an equally wet forearm, Toshiro glanced about him without thought to the immediate surroundings. The sharp, toned muscles of his back glistened under the rays of the sun and the top layers of his uniform were tied around the waist by the sleeves so they wouldn't become entangled his legs and trip him up. Sweat drops ran down as quickly as they were wiped away while the drooping silver spikes hanging in his eyes were also damp with sweat. The clothes and sash around his waist were soaked and he was near exhaustion, but still, that wasn't good enough. No lingering thoughts, no recall could be allowed, it all must be banished. The captain of the Tenth had only one intention when he arrived and that was to master all these churning emotions. Unfortunately, they were just as painful, and as sharp as when he had arrived.

Now though, the silver-haired captain was beginning to think that he may have to settle for blissful numbness. Still, he couldn't give up, wouldn't give up, not yet. First he would try it this way; he would let all the emotions out being suppressed for decades. If this didn't work, he would be forced to do the unthinkable; follow Matsumoto's way of dealing with pain and drink himself stupid. It shouldn't be too difficult, as his lieutenant did it on a regular basis and she was always touting the benefits of a good drunk.

He stabbed Hyourinmaru into the earth, letting the tip sink a couple of inches so it could stand on its own. Letting go of the hilt, the winded man bent over to place his hands on his knees. He was more winded than expected. It was taking longer and longer to catch his breath after each exercise repetition.

Just as the whip thin taicho straightened and reached for Hyourinmaru, her words reverberated once more in his mind as clear as if Hinamori was standing right there, "Please Shiro-chan, please save him! You are the only one I trust with his safety. He has always been there for me when I needed him. If you have any feelings of friendship for me, please promise me you will save him."

That pleading look, those huge tear-filled eyes, and then, that last barely heard whisper, "If you value me at all, please promise. He is all that I have!"

That was the last straw. Aizen! Aizen was _ALL_ that she had? **Aizen** was all that she could count on in her life!? Aizen was there for her!? Oh yeah, he was there all right; he was there to run his zanpakutou through her heart. The four-eyed traitor was there to string along the whole Soul Society with his mask of "I'm such a nice guy", and he was there to step on the trust and affection of everyone who ever held him in high esteem! What a laugh! AIZEN had been there for her! Not bloody likely. She was just another broken marionette left in a heap at the foot of the altar of his ambition. Her captain never gave her a backward glance. The worst of it was; and Toshiro would never relay this to Hinamori, was Aizen's smile. It stretched across his face with such evil, perverse joy and blank eyes as he related to Hitsugaya that he had killed her and what a fool she was in her admiration of the captain she had followed with unswerving devotion.

Hitsugaya uttered a low growl at the thought. Bleeding her life's blood out and the traitor captain was mocking her, disdaining her regard, awe, loyalty and, yes damnit, even her love for him. How she could overlook the fact that he betrayed everyone, lie to her face and all of Soul Society, flawlessly day after day, and then run his blade through her was… was… Well, he didn't have words for it.

The Tenth Captain's teal eyes, narrowed. Before this, he never would have thought he could hate anyone with every fiber of his being and with such an implacable loathing. From the moment he had found Hinamori's body in a pool of her own blood, Aizen was now and forever, his enemy and his dragon's enemy. Blade, tooth, claw and frozen sky would someday catch up with Aizen, and this time Aizen would not be able to hide behind a false mirror.

Fresh waves of anger rushed through the silver-haired youth and without thinking, he yelled and leaped up into the air, sword swept up and hilt clutched tightly in both hands and dropped into a tight spin leaving a wide swath of fierce reiatsu to sweep in circular wake and flow outward. Silver-blue ice clumps formed and dotted the ground around him. Toshiro threw himself up, leaping higher this time, and just as he was about to sweep a gleaming blade over the area again from the position high overhead, all of a sudden the fire and power of his reiatsu cut out leaving him blank and empty. With determined will, the youngest captain forced it back up, only to have it flicker briefly but it was steadily going out. With resigned disgust, Toshio felt himself beginning the fall and there was nothing left in him to slow the descent. As the ground rushed up the frost-haired captain twisted mid-air and positioned himself just in time to land on his feet, although not lightly or gracefully.

Upon landing, Hitsugaya staggered to the side and fell to his hands and knees. Hyourinmaru flew from his grip landing a couple of feet away. Then he was flat on his face, nearly sucking in the frozen dirt with each lungful of air. Vitriolic curses would have been spewing from his mouth about now but all he could manage was the pathetic panting again but worse, all his limbs were trembling and starting to spasm beyond his control. _This is all Aizen's fault!_ Hitsugaya thought petulantly as he drew in one shuddering gulp of air after another. Just then he heard the crunch of a foot on the rough soil nearby. Oh swell.

"Captain Hitsugaya, I must insist that you bring this exercise in futility to an end."

All Hitsugay could do in answer was to make a distinct sound of gasping for breath. But despite the fact that Toshiro could barely move his head, he didn't have to look up to know who was speaking.

"The fact that I was able to come this close to you without your knowledge tells me that you are at your limits, maybe even beyond." There was a long silence. She was nothing if not patient thought the silver-haired youth.

"Captain Unohana," he was finally able to manage even if it was in a bare, rough, rasp of a voice, barely above a whisper "I thank you," a pause to take in a couple of breathes, "for your concern. But it is unnecessary." The shinigami captain panted out, "I am fine. You may go now." He tried to reach for Hyourinmaru and noticed his hand was still trembling. A grimace crossed his features as he grunted and practically threw his hand in the direction of Hyourinmaru. It was only luck that one wobbly hand landed on the hilt. Out of reflex, thin pale fingers closed around the familiar weight even if only loosely.

Silver spikes hung down in his eyes, but ignoring the irritation for the moment Hitsugaya tried to gather himself to stand upright and prove to the Fourth's captain that there was nothing wrong with him. However, once making it to one knee, he found a foot standing on the blade of his ghost cutter.

"I beg to differ Captain Hitsugaya. I am entrusted with the sacred duty of being the healer to the Soul Society. In this area, my word carries more weight than that of a regular captain. I am telling you that your reiatsu, what little of it you have left, is still draining out of you even if you cannot feel it. You have put enormous strain on all your organs as well as letting yourself become seriously dehydrated. That is a mistake I would have expected from an academy student but not someone of your rank. You are in a precarious state at the moment. Now come along nicely as I do not want to get ugly about this."

Acting in a manner unlike himself, with a sullen expression he tried to jerk Hyourinmaru out from under her foot. It didn't budge not that he expected it to, but couldn't seem to help himself. Sullenly, he replied, "I don't need help getting back to my company. Your trip here was wasted." He stared at her sandaled foot. "And get off my zanpakutou." Oh, but it stung his pride to say that.

Unohana did not reply, but instead turned to look over her shoulder and said, "Isane, you can signal the squad, and tell them to bring that stretcher…"

"STRETCHER!" Despite the continued tremors of overwrought muscles, depleted reistu, and a fatigued system, Toshiro struggled to free Hyourinmaru, "I certainly don't need…" tug, tug, "a blasted…" tug, tug, "stretcher!" Winded, he stopped yanking and stared at Unohana's foot feeling his cheeks flush from the humiliation of his weakened condition.

Retsu Unohana turned her gaze on the one captain in the Seireitei who at one point in time used to be shorter than her, that is until the latest growth spurt he had recently gone through. Soon, she would be the shortest captain again. She sighed. It had been pleasant to not be the shortest all these years.

Toshiro noticed her brief absence from the moment and tried again to jerk his sword free.

"Please desist Captain Hitsugaya; I am sure you will agree with me in that you do not want to cause yourself any further injuries."

A chill ran down his spine at the rise of her spirit pressure. It pressed him down flat to the ground, pinned like a small, recalcitrant child. Her tone of voice was calm and kind and the words sounded simple but he wasn't convinced that she meant injuries that were of his own making. This was Fourth Division's Captain at her scariest. It wasn't fun.

"Just get off my zanpakutou." He tried to sound commanding. Normally it was easy to pull it off, just ask Matsumoto, but today, despite his best efforts, it came out more sulky than intimidating.

Not letting even a glimmer of relief show on his face when she stepped off Hyourinmaru, he tried to lift his blade. At that moment it was brought home to him just then how weak he was. He couldn't even lift his zanpakutou!

"Do me the favor of allowing me to assist you Tenth Captain." Upon saying that, Unohana reached down to his hand and easily slipped Hyourinmaru from him. He started to protest until he twisted to look up and caught sight of her eyes; Hyourinmaru would be safe. Still, he watched attentively as she smoothly and with respect slid the katana home into its sheath.

Hearing the approach of running feet, Toshiro barely managed to turn his head to watch a squad of her people come racing over the dune with a stretcher. He let his cheek flop down on the ground with a snort of disgust. The frozen dirt which was now melting, immediately stuck to his still sweaty skin like glue up and down his chest and arms, the grit coating him was becoming more and more irritating and uncomfortable. This had to be his most humiliating moment in all of his shinigami life, bar none.s

They placed the stretcher on the ground next to him. He tried once more to get to his feet but his limbs were like water and refused to obey him.

"Do I really have to be transported this way?" He asked, the corners of his lips pulled down in disgust.

"Of course not."

He craned his neck to look up at the unruffled healer in relief. She smiled at him. "I sweep you up into my arms and carry you bridal style. Which do you prefer?"

Hitsugaya had never seen or even heard of the Fourth's taicho ever carrying anyone, but looking up into her tranquil yet set face he didn't doubt for one second that she could and would if he gave her any reason to do so.

"Right." He made to move over to the stretcher on his own power but found he couldn't. His whole body felt weighted down and now was nearly unable to move a finger. The Fourth squad members were instantly at his side and gently lifted him and placed him on the stretcher. He closed his eyes in self-disgust. No doubt about it, he would never live this down.

**The Truth Will Find You Out**

Every once in a while even a shinigami needed to stop and smell the cherry blossoms, and today was Momo Hinamori's day. Currently the assistant captain for Fifth Company was on an official/unofficial leave since coming out of her coma and also while a pending investigation into the backgrounds of each one of the traitorous captains was still ongoing. She wasn't sure exactly what that meant and when questioning others, they didn't seem to know either. It was all very 'hush-hush'. There was some talk that this nebulous investigation was concocted in order to cover up for the three lieutenants: Hinamori, Izuru, and Hisagi, for this specific circumstance by orders of the Captain-General.

It was lucky for her that she wasn't suspected of committing any crimes against the Soul Society. However, in her opinion, it was much worse than that. A few questioned her state of mind, which granted had been better, but then who wouldn't be if they had gone through what she had experienced? Still, it was the quiet murmurs that would start up after she passed by small groups of shinigami and strained smiles they gave upon seeing her that hurt more than anything else.

Momo sighed and reached over to pluck at some of the young grass strands, lifting and then letting them fall from her fingers and watching as they floated back down. She couldn't blame them though. Many were dubious of her mental stability after her fervent assertions when she first woke up that Aizen was not and could not be a traitor. Her strident protests over his innocence had not gone down well with her fellow shinigami. At best she was considered to be a duped fool and pitied for it, and at the worst, that she should be drummed out of the Gotei Thirteen for standing up for the miserable turncoat. No longer did she hold to the belief that her beloved captain was innocent, but she still couldn't quite let herself believe that he was the mastermind behind the betrayal.

However, she wouldn't hold onto such gloomy thoughts, not today.

For the first time in ages, Momo smiled, a real smile and not one put on for the benefit of those around her who were worried about her. No, this one was full of delight and jubilation. She stretched up her arms and inhaled the crisp air. It was cool, but not overly so. It was a good day for someone such as her to be outdoors and she was bound and determined to enjoy every blessed moment.

Letting out a deeply held breath, small shinigami bent forward, away from the tree trunk she had been leaning against, to wrap thin arms around her knees. The Fifth's lieutenant was waiting for Kira and Renji to show up to take her out to lunch to celebrate her first day of being allowed out of the Fourth's complex. Kira's treat, Renji said.

First the coma, then awakening to physical pain along with a case of heartsickness that no medic could heal. Long days alternating between careful, physical therapy and bed rest had made her impatient and snappish. Unohana taicho was being, in Momo's humble and non-medical opinion, overly cautious. However, unmoved by Momo's protestations, the Fourth Company's captain became unexpectedly stern. The woman sporting the strange front-braid reminded her patient that the Fifth's assistant-captain was one lucky shinigami to have come so close to death without dying. It was a testament to the hard work, efficiency, and tireless care of her staff that Momo was even able to sit up in bed at this point in time, rather than the girl's own recuperative abilities. Momo could only lower her eyes and twist her fingers together. Couldn't the healer see she was feeling just fine? However, Unohana taicho could be the Soul Society's scariest captain when pushed and Hinamori was not one to push a captain, well, not much anyway.

Once Unohana was satisfied that Hinamori understood the rules, she graced the younger woman with a slight smile, and with a twinkle in her eye, gestured for the assistant captain to leave. Momo fairly skipped from the room, hair bun ribbons bouncing merrily behind her.

Momo reached down and plucked a few more strands of grass. Holding it to her nose, she closed her eyes and inhaled. Pure bliss! Then letting the grass loose from open fingers, she watched as a rising breeze carried it to land a few feet away. Lifting her eyes from that, Momo looked down the dirt road in one direction and the other. Where were those guys?

Upon reaching the designated meeting place, Momo looked around for a moment to realize that she had arrived first. She made a small sound of disapproval. They shouldn't be wasting their break time like this. Kira needed this outing as much as she did. He had only recently been reinstated from a leave of absence, much like hers. She knew that Renji was feeling jubilant because Rukia was free and also been reinstated back in her old company, and, in some weird sense that Momo didn't quite understand but assumed it to be a 'boy thing', he was on better terms with his own captain.

There was a bench next to the tree, but when she arrived, instead of sitting down on it, she had gone around to the other side and lowered herself to the ground. Reclining against the tree, she took in the nature around her; the shadow dappled grass near her, with its sharp, clean scent, the cloudless sky, and the slight breeze that stirred the bangs of her hair. All was good.

Well. Almost. She grimaced. No matter what, she couldn't keep from thinking of Aizen, even on this, on her so-called 'day off'.

There had been quite a few changes since she woke from her coma, one of which she hadn't noticed right away, but Shiro-chan didn't insist that she call him 'taicho' anymore. However, he did insist that Aizen was a traitor of the worst kind.

For a moment, Momo's face darkened as she recalled the numerous arguments with her fellow shinigami. However, the quarrels with Shiro-chan made her feel the worst. For instance, this morning, he calmly, and in that icy tone of his, presented one piece of damning evidence after another of Aizen's guilt, of insisting that Aizen was the mastermind. Shiro-chan was as relentless as a lawyer in court, cutting her belief into ribbons with his logic and words. Stupid, that's how she felt when arguing with him, and on the defensive.

For the first time ever, this morning's fight had been the worst of them all and all reasoning had flown out the window to the point she had ended up screaming at him to leave and that she never wanted to see him again. Her harsh, horrible words followed him out the door and down the hall as she had clutched the material of her hospital gown in the center of her chest, trying to comfort her breaking heart.

Her head drooped as she recalled the words she had hurled at him. How could she have done that? Shiro-chan's actions consistently showed that he cared about her, even if it was to the point of being an overprotective friend. He didn't deserve her harsh words, even if he was being mean.

At the time, she had been expecting him to yell right back at her and had been shocked when he merely stared at her with an emotion in his eyes she couldn't decipher. It wasn't anger but something that was hot, fierce, and intense for just a brief moment, before masked over by that icy calm of his.

In a chilly voice devoid of expression, he said, "I will leave you for now then. But do not think this is over Hinamori. There are matters which need settling."

For some reason, the lack of emotion in his tone, in sharp contrast to the burning ice behind his gaze caused shivers to run up and down her spine. What was that hidden fire all about? Why was she reacting like this? But most of all, what _matters_ was he talking about? And what needed settling?

Momo frowned; she needed to stop thinking about a certain captain if she wanted to stay in a good mood on her special day. She leaned forward, searching for sight of two figures approaching. An empty path was all that met her sight and caused a slight frown to appear.

"Darn those boys! Where could they be?"

She turned to her left and right again to peer down the road as if that action would immediately cause them to materialize on the scene. No such luck.

"Humph! It would serve them right if I used kido and then popped out and scared the 'zan' out of their 'pakuto'!" An impish grin twitched the corners of her lips. She would do it! Just once she would be a prankster.

Closing her eyes in concentration, she muttered the spell quietly to herself and the female shinigami became invisible, a barrier shielding her presence from being detected. Unohana taicho never mentioned abstaining from kido on her list_. Probably because she thought it was common sense that I would know not to do anything like this. I hope they don't take too long. I don't know how long I can keep this up_.

On the heels of that thought she heard the rapid sound of feet approaching. On the other side of the tree she heard the two voices of her shinigami comrades and friends.

"Good, we made it before her," Renji said with a slight pant in his voice.

Kira, panting harder, "You don't think" (pant, pant), "her wounds opened again trying to walk here?"(huff, huff) "I knew we should of…"

Momo had no problems envisioning the panic in Kira's face, having observed the expression many times over the long years.

"….Stopped at the Fourth and picked her up…"

"What, you think we should have carried her?"

Momo smiled at Renji's sarcasm. He always acted so tough and uncaring when his heart was anything but.

"Yes, Renji, we could have! But at least, we should have escorted her."

"Idiot, the Captain of the Fourth wouldn't have let her take a step out of the place if there was even a doubt of anything bad happening! "

"Then why'd _**you**_hurry then?"

"YOU were the one trying to use shunpo the whole way! I was merely keeping up with you. And, I didn't want her to wait long."

"Oh look at you Mr. Well-bred! YOU were the one who just had to stop and chat up Rukia… and for what, she can't go out with you anyway, she's going on a mission. AND, she likes Ichigo, so give it up."

"Shaddup. No one asked for your opinion."

Momo placed a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling. It looked like Renji still had feelings for Rukia. Then she rolled her eyes over Rukia's being totally clueless about the fact that Renji's devotion, over-protectiveness, and acerbic remarks practically screamed his love for her. Momo shook her head; who could be that dense not to notice when someone was in love with you, even if it was an old friend since the days of childhood? Really, that was no reason to be so achingly blind to another's feelings. Someone needed to take Rukia aside and clue her in on what was going on.

She softly snorted, for Rukia's stubborn nature was well known.

"Hey, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That noise."

"What noise?"

"The noise I just heard."

"How would I know what noise you just heard if I didn't hear it?"

"You make me crazy, you know that?"

Momo could feel Kira's shrug from around the tree.

There was a pause and then Renji said, "I guess it was nothing. I must be hearing things."

"Don't worry Renji, I'm,… I'm sure she is okay."

"Great, now I am being reassured by the twitchiest shinigami in the Court."

"Oh come on, it's not like she would hide herself behind a kido barrier."

There was a moment of silence as each man thought about it before bursting out in laughter. The idea of Hinamori playing a joke, not only was it improbable never likely to happen!

Momo should have been indignant with them; she did too know how to tell jokes and play pranks! She just liked to think that she was above such childish things… Yet, here she was, doing that very thing. I guess some things have changed since Capt… er Aizen had left.

However, she couldn't be too offended. The sound of Kira's chuckling was a good sign and she was grateful to hear it. Ichimaru had manipulated his lieutenant's strings like a skilled puppet master. With the puppet master gone, Kira was starting to think on his own again, learning how to move, act, fight, and smile. Yes, thought Momo darkly, another excellent reason to hate Ichimaru and smack him over the head with Tobiume. Let him try to smile his creepy fox grin then!

"Yeah, you're right, I'm being a big worrywart."

"See! That's the spirit! The first step is to admit you have a problem."

"Very funny Renji, but not."

"Whatever. What the hell is keeping that woman! Take it from me, women would be late to their own funerals."

"Uh huh."

"Shaddup," said Renji gruffly, then added, "You have stupid hair."

"Like yours is any better. You know, your insults might be more effective if you didn't issue them about things of which you are clueless." There was a pause and then, "And what's wrong with my hair?"

Momo rolled her eyes. She decided to move around so she could see them. Rising from her seated position, she moved quietly, taking slow, cautious steps with great care so as not to step on anything that might make a noise and give her presence away.

"Forget about hair, Izuru, I don't even know why you brought it up. But yeah, think about it, I am certain that in her state she probably isn't leaping around like a kid."

The two male shinigami were in her line of vision now. Renji was standing with his arms crossed, hunched and leaning back against the tree. Kira was sitting on the bench, back straight as he craned his neck to look back the way they had come for any sight of Momo.

Glancing back to Renji he commented, "Well, you know she had it worse that any of us," before resuming his search.

HUH! Momo's eyes went wide. What could they mean? What was Kira implying? He was the one who had it the worst! It was **his** captain that had been the ultimate backstabber.

"Well duh, blond-boy. Her captain was the worst of the worst, which goes without saying. And here everyone thought he was one of the 'good' ones."

Of course, thought Momo, he was like Ukitake taicho, one of the best, the strongest, kindest… she swallowed back a rising sob. Not now. She couldn't cry for him now.

"Besides that, no one liked Ichimaru except for you and Matsumoto, and I not even sure about you."

"HEY!"

"It's true isn't it?"

"Well, yeah," Kira muttered and lowered his head to hide the light blush of shame, "but you didn't have to say it like that. He just made it hard to like him and now I think he liked it that way." He lowered his voice before continuing, "And maybe he did that so it would be easy for him to leave… for us to deal with his defection."

"Yeah, I can see that. Aizen was evil and brilliant but hid it to the point that no one suspected him. However, everyone mistrusted ole creepy cheeks. Face it; Ichimaru always looked suspicious even when he was just sitting there. Him and his 'I'm-up-to-no-good' smirk on his face."

Suddenly, Renji slammed a fist against the tree trunk startling Kira, and Momo. "I hate him. I hate all of them!" He turned to stare at Kira, "Don't you?"

"Yes," Kira agreed softly, and paused before saying, "But I hate Aizen the most. He hurt Hinamori to the point I don't think she will ever be able to recover from it."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

_I don't!_ Huffed an irritated Momo.

Renji said with a tight voice, "I would say, 'May he rot in hell,' but from all reports, not only is he already there but also took over as upper management." He snorted in aggravation, "Figures."

"Poor Hinamori, she can't see…"

"Won't see is more like it," broke in Renji, frustration evident in his tone.

"Aizen wounded her twice over. First, he did it physically, which she is recovering from. But worst was the wounding that went on for years because she trusted him and looked up to him. The jerk was playing her, us all from the very beginning. Poor Momo with her sweet, vulnerable, and trusting heart and so ironic he would wound her there."

Renji stared at Kira. "Ya've got to stop talking like that. People already think you're gay."

"WHAT!"

Momo held a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing despite her annoyance.

"I'm not!" Kira replied heatedly. "I asked Kiyone out on a date this weekend." Realizing he had shared something personal that he would rather have kept private, Kira's cheeks turned a pink hue.

Renji's eyes popped open wide. "Really?"

Kira nodded.

"Wow, great for you man."

"Uh, don't tell anyone okay?" Kira rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"No problem pal. Sooooo, I thought you liked Hinamori?"

Momo took a step back in shock. What? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Kira was her friend, as was Renji.

"I did, and to a certain extent, I still do, but only as a friend now. She is taken. Very. Taken. Know what I mean?"

"Don't I ever. One time I was asking her if she wanted to go do some training with me, but _he_ came along and must have thought I had been asking her out on a date or something. As soon as she left, he took, as in yanked me, aside to have a little chat and believe me, I found someone else to train with pronto! I don't ever want to be at the pokey end of his zanpakutou again! It was a very unpleasant experience."

"The same thing happened to me too! He sure is possessive. When she left, the next thing I knew I was on the ground, being crushed by his reiatsu."

_Who! WHO! _Thought Momo in a feverish panic. _Who could it be?_ It surely wasn't Aizen. That would have been her first guess but considering the recent past, it obviously wasn't.

"Sad isn't it, but she will always be looking for Aizen and therefore totally clueless about that guy who holds her first in his heart."

Renji made a face, "There you go again."

"Hey! Girls like sensitive guys! We are the true romantics who pay attention to them…"

"Sorry I said anything! Get to the point."

"Well, like you, I was warned in no uncertain terms that I was not to have any romantic interest in Hinamori outside of being one of her nakama."

"But he hasn't told her he likes her yet, has he?" The tattooed shinigami rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

"_LIKE?_ There was no _like_ involved here Renji! The result of being 'in like' does not squash a possible rival to the ground! I know 'like' when I see it and that wasn't it! This is someone who is hopelessly, desperately, deeply, and irrevocably in love."

Kira stood up and stretched his arms up while arching his back to work out the kinds before relaxing. "And he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell."

Renji looked down the road for a moment and then suggested, "Maybe we should check the restaurant. She might have gone on ahead and could be waiting for us to show up. I have to admit that I could be a little concerned. Hey I know, let's race, I don't want to be any later than we already are."

"Yeah, Renji, we'd be late for our own funerals if we could."

The tattooed shinigami threw his friend a look, "You're a pain, ya know that?"

Hinamori Momo, assistant captain of Fifth Company already was fleeing from the scene, mostly running but every now and then using a flash step here even in her weakened condition. She had to get far enough away from them so they wouldn't see her when she dropped the barrier.

"There you are!" Exclaimed Kira as he hurried to the table where Hinamori sat, sipping a cup of green tea. "I knew we must have misunderstood where we were supposed to meet!"

Renji approached more slowly. He was making an effort to be more dignified lately, trying it on like one would try on a new kimono. However, it didn't look the same as it did on Kuchiki taicho. In fact, the red-haired shinigami looked more like a little boy trying on his father's clothes which were far too big so the effect was much more cute than daunting; but Momo didn't have the heart to tell him that.

Renji spotted what Kira hadn't noticed. The bun-sporting lieutenant was flushed with perspiration on her upper lip and along her hairline. Strands of hair had escaped from the bun and she was breathing rather heavily for someone who had just been sitting there waiting for a while. He eyed her with concern; he really hoped she wasn't going to have a relapse.

Instead, he was surprised when Hinamori leapt up from her seat and threw her arms around Kira, wrapping him up in a big hug.

Renji was not a touchy-feely kind of a guy, but he didn't have a choice in the matter for right after Kira he was on the receiving end of a warm hug. Amazing himself, he returned her hug with a few awkward pats on the back, disconcerted to find that there was hardly anything to her. It felt like embracing a mere puff of air.

"Eh, Hinamori, you need to pack on some weight."

"Good thing we're having lunch!" Kira exclaimed and with that, the blond shinigami pulled out a chair, sat down, and grabbed a menu.

Slower to follow suit, Renji sat down next to Kira, eyeing Momo for a moment more until Kira shoved his menu under his friend's nose to point out a selection. Soon both were wrangling over the one menu, tugging it back and forth between them.

Momo smiled and acknowledged what could not be denied. The truth of the matter was that cherished friends could line up in front of a certain individual and tell her the honest stark-naked truth, and she would stubbornly deny it. But when friends were being spied on that which was overheard carried the most weight. She didn't know why it was so, but there it was. Unknown to them Renji and Kira's words had broken an evil spell she had placed upon herself and now she was free.

Things were going to change for one Hinamori Momo. Of that, she would make certain.

Owari.


	2. The Plan

Author's Note: Been getting quite a few inquires on the status of this story and if more chapters were coming. Because of more interest since I stopped updating than when I was, I have taken an interest in getting this finished. Yes, I am that shallow. Comments do move me.

Many thanks and much appreciation to my beta, millythompson m( )m

Bleach, not Dwellin's (just stating the obvious)

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**THE PLAN**

**Freedom!**

Momo kicked her legs back and forth underneath the bench on which she sat. She was waiting but not very patiently. What in the world is taking so long? It seemed like she had been sitting here forever waiting for her papers to be signed off on so she could leave.

Several weeks had gone by since the lunch with Renji and Kira. Since that time she still had to report to the infirmary and spend her nights there. Some rot about her heart beating out of rhythm, or whatever. However, during this morning's rounds, Captain Unohana informed her that today was the day she was going to be released. _About flaring reiatsu time!_

Hinamori could hardly contain her impatience; she needed to be training. Now. All the time. Every day.

For the first time in her life, Hinamori Momo had a plan. After meticulously going through all her own personal files, crosschecked with the company's files, and what she find of Aizen's leftover personal papers (of which there weren't many that weren't gathered up by Second Company), she had stumbled onto something very disturbing.

The plan involved her gaining a bankai to be the first thing. Number two on the list was something she was dreading. It hadn't been on the earliest plan, but Momo finally decided that there was a certain powerful someone that needed to be in the know, and it positively couldn't and wouldn't be Shiro-chan, er, Hitsugaya taicho. Dang, that was going to be a hard habit to break!

But back to number one. If that one wasn't achieved, everything after it on the list was completely unattainable.

Bankai.

Like most assistant captains, Momo had worked at it more or less over the past decades. Okay, if she was going to be honest, less. Fifth Company was rarely given any assignments in the world of humans to perform konso and she could count on one hand any encounters with hollows. Also, it never seemed to her that Captain Aizen cared one way or the other if she ever achieved bankai or not.

"Well duh," she muttered bitterly under her breath. It was pretty clear now why he never urged her on in this area.

The second reason she fervently wanted to leave was because of what she had recently learned. A peculiar twist of fate favoring her, for once, gave Momo the opportunity to read her own file.

One day while in room during a routine check-up and updating Hinamori's file, an alarm went off and the nurse shoved her file in a file holder attached to the end of the bed before racing off to answer the emergency announcement. Taking it as a sign, Momo didn't waste any time grabbing up the file. No fool she! Flipping it open she began to read.

Soon, what she read made her flush and gasp. They thought she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown!

More was written about Aizen's actions that fateful day which they had been withholding from her. She was shocked to learn that Shiro-chan was also run through by Aizen. Why wouldn't they tell her about that? Did they think she would break at the news? Still, someone should have told her that Aizen had been fully intending to kill not only her (that, she could forgive) but Shiro-chan as well, (that she couldn't, and it was not the same as when she had threatened him!).

For the first time, she felt a white hot anger toward her former captain. It was one thing to try and run _her _through, but it was quite another thing to try and kill her dearest friend! There were no words that could successfully convey her fury.

It was then, at that moment, the crack that had started from eavesdropping on Renji and Kira, widened and the light shone through. What a complete idiot she was! Of course Shiro-chan wasn't even capable of being a traitor! And kill someone in cold blood? Never! How could she have been so blind! Momo had hit herself on the forehead with the folder several times at the sheer depth of her naiveté and gullibility. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! _

All this, plus what she had learned looking through the records the Second Company had missed, (really, if she was a good lieutenant, she should hand those in—but Hinamori no longer wanted to be the obliging, submissive goody two shoes shinigami.

Then realizing how it would look if the nurse walked in on her hitting herself with a file folder, she returned to scanning the pages. No wonder everyone in Soul Society treated her with kid gloves! The pitying looks when she tried to come up with some reasonable explanation for Aizen's behavior. There was so much to make up for!

With trembling fingers, Momo replaced her record and walked over to the window to stare blankly out at the garden and courtyard.

Later, the nurse found her standing in the same position when she returned. Casting a nervous glance at the recovering fukutaicho, she picked up the file. Unohana taicho was displeased when she found out the file was left in the room. The nurse snuck another quick peek at the patient. Hinamori fukutaicho was still turned toward the window like she usually was in the afternoons when she was moping over her captain. Letting out a pent up breath, the nurse slipped the file out of the holder and left the room, quietly closing the door shut behind her.

Momo was very aware of the nurse's presence in the room and when she left. This time, she could feel the pitying gaze of the nurse before she left and resented it. She was tired of being treated like fragile glass. Momo Hinamori not only thought about her friends, Shiro-chan, the betrayal, Shiro-chan, her own response, Shiro-chan, Renji, Kira, Shiro-chan, the war that was surely coming, Shiro-chan… it was a pivotal moment for her. No more whining, no more Miss Nice Gal Shinigami, oh no, it was time for… for…

Momo shook her head. She needed a new image, sort of like a female Zaraki.

Zaraki taicho was no pushover with his "take-no-prisoners" style of fighting. He would have opened up a can of zanpakutou "whup yo' butt" on Aizen. Yes, that was it. A female Zaraki, with a hair bun

No, she needed a new image, a strong image of herself first before even trying to embark on a change in her life. Dream big or hide under the futon! That would be her new motto, either that, or do a better background and reference check on a captain before agreeing to be his subordinate.

Her eyes lit up with a thought. Action hero! That was it. Just like the stories she was hearing from the human world Renji kept talking about now that the ryoka were their allies.

Quite unaware of what she was doing, she took a stance, made a fist and with a determined look on her face declared out loud to the room, "I will be a shinigami action hero!"

The echo bounced off the walls and then silence.

Momo's dark head dropped and her shoulders drooped as something occurred to her. "Maybe, sort of, perhaps…" she whispered for she didn't have a clue as to what an action hero looked like, or worse, how to become one. And Renji's enthusiastic stories hadn't gone into any of that except that tights were involved somehow and that action heroes were very heroic (which only stands to reason given the name), saving their loved ones from harm, and fighting for justice against overwhelming odds.

Momo jolted back from her musing of that fateful day of her "awakening".

Momo glanced once more at the door to Unohana's office. What could the front-sporting, braided taicho be doing in there?! The bench seat was hard and her butt was getting sore from sitting on it for so long. She was a shinigami with a plan of action and time was a-wasting.

There was so much to do! Lifting a thumb to her mouth, Momo started chewing on the innocent nail. She really needed to get out of this place and back to her private quarters! Even this little bit of waiting was fraying her nerves!

Also, she was antsy because Shiro… (_Respect_, remember?) _Hitsugaya taicho _had been admitted the afternoon after their fight. He only stayed a few days although he didn't stay long. Even so, Momo didn't want to be around in case he needed to come in for a check-up.

Something died that day while reading the folder, but something new, different and making her twitchy in her own skin was tapping at her from some doorway back in the corners of her brain. Some huge revelation was pushing on the hinges of that door and in no way was she going to let that out, whatever it was.

_Think about something else_, she commanded herself. With an effort, Momo restrained her legs from swinging and brought her mind back to the waiting she was doing. Usually she was more patient than this. On the heels of a deep sigh the door slid open captain of the Fourth Company stepped out of her office with a hint of a smile on her lips and extended a sheet of paper to her former patient. Hinamori leapt to her feet and in a flash snatched the paper from the healer's slender fingers, startling them both by her abrupt behavior.

Then, remembering her manners and who it was before her, the younger shinigami bowed deeply while saying, "Arigatou, Unohana taicho."

"Don't forget that you have limits. Your strength and stamina will need to be…"

"Yes, yes, got it all earlier. Can I go now?"

Restu lifted one shapely eyebrow at the lieutenant of Fifth Company. The girl was usually one of the most courteous shinigami around. She studied the anxious face of her former patient who was nearly dancing from one foot to the other in her haste to be going. _Well, I better dismiss her before she combusts_, thought the healer.

"Go."

Hinamori was out the door before the word was out of Unohana's mouth.

**Let Me Re-introduce Myself….**

In her excitement, the Fifth's vice-captain, on temporary sabbatical, fairly flew down the steps and across the wide courtyard.

With papers clasped to her chest she rounded a corner of a building at a dead run and ran into someone. Literally.

Momo would have bounced back onto the ground but the male shinigami (She may be naive but she wasn't an idiot; the body shape was totally different. Hers being softer than the hard and muscular she had run into.), caught and held her upper arms until her head stopped spinning.

Hinamori had not been aware of anyone approaching or even nearby because of her elation upon being released. She looked up with an apologetic smile to thank her rescuer and blurted out before she could stop herself, "Shiro-chan! Oh no!"

This was _not _good! She wasn't prepared! It dawned on her what she had said by the quizzical look on his face so she kept going, "Noooo,... ah" Think fast, think fast! "I have _noooo _note to give you. Yes, that's right, no note," What was wrong with her! She couldn't stop repeating that word!

"Nope, I left it behind." Thinking furiously, "It's in…. Unohana taicho's office. Yes, yes it is. No note with me, it's with her."

She beamed her brightest and biggest smile and pointed back the way she had come. Unfortunately for her, the fake smile stretched across her lips was one Shiro-chan was already familiar with, damnit! The smile faltered as Momo settled for a grimace that showed some teeth. Let him figure that one out if he was such a genius!

"Hinamori? Are you okay?" He asked, one quizzical brow raised. "And what kind of look is that? Did you hit your head?" She dropped her head causing his eyes to narrow cynically at this odd behavior.

Shouldn't she still be in the Fourth's infirmary? Actually that was why he was heading in this direction. Today the silver-haired captain had heard that Hinamori was likely to be released. This was a good day to apologize. _Even though I am not wrong, _he thought adamantly, but, of all people, he didn't like being at odds with Hinamori.

He settled a suspicious look on her bent head. Something was up. It was strange that she was keeping her head down, as if fascinated with the sight of her toes. Yes, something was up, way up. His brow furrowed as he studied her. So intent on his scrutiny, he didn't realize that he still was gripping her upper arms.

Momo kept her eyes pointed down, thinking frantically, and came to a quick decision. This would be the first step of her plan of keeping Shiro-chan safe and also repaying the enormous debt she owed him.

"Hinamori?" His voice was taking on that icy edge that she knew so well… and for the most part, ignored. Not this time.

"Hmm, oh, well, uhm," Why was she having a problem with getting her thoughts organized coherently? He was going to be suspicious if he wasn't already. And why hadn't he let go of her yet? In fact, he was pulling her closer to him, so much so that she stumbled and fell against him. This was different, very different. Suddenly she felt her cheeks warming and felt the desire to fan herself. When had Shiro-chan's chest widened and shoulders grown so broad? She realized he was still talking and she didn't have a clue as to what he had said.

"What's wrong? Hinamori, look at me."

_Absolutely not! _

"Uh, nothing… really… Hitsugaya taichou. But I need to get going as Unohana-taichou has just released me and made me promise I would go home and go straight to bed."

"Would you like me to walk…?"

"NO! No, no, that's not necessary! I can walk, I've been doing it a long time now and I'm really good at it. Yep, good, so good that I need to be going now," she said frantically with her head bowed as if speaking to his chest.

Not very action hero-like she realized so Momo raised large, light brown eyes to his and instantly regretted it. Oh dear, but they were close, practically nose-to-nose close. Too close! She could see the worry in his eyes and something else that was making her cheeks burn even worse. Momo watched as her oldest and dearest friend began searching her face and eyes, trying to pierce through this strange behavior. That was the problem! He could do it too! He knew her the best out of all of her.

Immediately Momo dropped her eyes again, sorry for having looked up. That pointed chin dipped and from under snowy white brows those large aquamarine-colored eyes were latched onto her with single-minded intensity, knowing something wasn't right. Wonderful. This was the last thing she needed right now, Hitsugaya the detective on the alert.

She stared down at one of her arms where his hand was gripping her. Seeing the tilt of her dark head, he followed her gaze to his hand, and with a small grunt of surprise, he dropped his hand at once and tucked both into the sleeves of his uniform. Now he noticed their position in relation to each other and took a couple of steps back to put some space between them.

Without looking up at him, the lieutenant of the Fifth bowed deeply and upon rising, looked off to the side and declared, "Hitsugaya taicho, I do not think that we can be friends anymore. Really, it is my fault for taking advantage of our friendship upon you in the past when you became a captain. It would also be best for me if I didn't, er, it would be good for both of us I mean, if we didn't see each other anymore. Not only that but I have I been such a burden to you, and,… and,… also I must apologize for my unforgivably bad manners in the past. From here on out, I shall treat you with the respect and deference that you deserve."

With that she bowed deeply again and held it while saying, "I have committed a grave inexcusable rudeness, please forgive me, Hitsugaya taicho!"

When Momo lifted from her bow, she chanced a peek at Toshiro's face and saw that for once in their long years of knowing each other, she had shocked him. His deep blue green eyes stared into the distance over her shoulder. One didn't have to be a tactical genius to know that now was a good time to withdraw. Or, if one was going to be honest about it, flee. With alacrity, Momo fled.

Hitsugaya snapped back to the moment to watch Hinamori's retreating back. If he wanted to, he could have easily caught her, but he was too stunned. What? What did she say? What just happened here? Was that really Hinamori Momo speaking to him just now? Of course it was. He knew her reiatsu as well as he knew the name of his zanpakutou.

Intellectually, the Tenth's captain knew what had been said, the words, the sentences, but for the life of him, he couldn't process the meaning of her little speech. She apologized? Of course, that wasn't abnormal behavior for her as she was so tenderhearted and hated to hurt other people's feelings. But how dare she call him Hitsugaya taicho! That was a running joke between the two of them for years now ! For her to, all of a sudden, just repudiate it…. That was not like her, not his Hinamori.

Then, his mind allowed him to fix on the one thing that brought a tightening pain in his chest before his brain had even registered the meaning. Now his brain was beginning to understand what his heart was quicker to realize. She didn't want to be friends anymore? She couldn't do that! The difference in their positions had never been of concern to her before. _What the hell?_

Barely conscious of his surroundings or where his body was taking him, Hitsugaya walked along in a stupor. It could have been minutes or hours later when he found himself in his quarters leaning his back against the door. Once becoming aware of where he was, he ran a hand through his thick, spiked locks wondering briefly how long he had been there, staring at nothing in particular.

Something had to be wrong with Hinamori. If he could figure out what the something was, he could fix it, he was sure of it. It was going to be more difficult than usual since she was not going to tell him and pulling rank wouldn't work. She was sweet, caring, kindhearted, and easily moved to tears for others, but running down through all of that was a hidden stubborn streak that most people didn't know existed underneath the friendly and cheerful exterior. He would find out but right now he just needed to sit down and be cheerlessly numb.

**All My Wealth**

There was one thing that Hinamori Momo knew about herself. She wasn't a genius. The only plan that Momo had ever come up with in her life was the one where she entered the Academy and then became assigned to Aizen taicho's company. Not so much of a plan really as a life goal.

Momo sat at the desk in her quarters with the lamp next to her elbow casting an amber glow around her and the balled up sheets of paper littering the floor. Most had been thrown in a fit of frustration. At the moment, she was frowning down at the sheet in front of her filled with scratch marks and crosshatching. There were a couple of things listed she could do in order to become stronger. The first thing, and most obvious one, was that she needed to be able release a bankai. That one wasn't the worry though. It was the sneaking into a few forbidden places that was bothering her.

"Courage Momo!" she instructed herself. Still, the air in her lungs felt constricted even as she determined to let nothing stand in the way! There was a war coming! Maybe, just maybe she could, hopefully, slow down Aizen's plans for conquest. If there was a way to get into Hueco Mundo without being detected, then she was going to find it!

She checked her list, willing herself to be smart, clever, and cunning, because she really, really, needed every little bit of luck and brainpower she possessed to make this work, along with more research. However, part of it was already done. Using her kido again, she had infiltrated Aizen's locked files in the basement of the company's library that no one else, she assumed, knew about. Having used Aizen's security code that she had found in the bottom of his private stash of expensive tea she was able to peruse as much as she wanted and as long as she wanted, all without any interference from Second Company's spy corp. Most of his writings were written rather cryptically in some kind of code but here and there she was able to put a few clues together.

Despite all her talent and luck so far though, the problem most worrying to her was going to be a certain short captain with a prickly attitude! The bun-wearing fukutaicho tapped the pointed end of the pen against the paper and little droplets of ink sprayed out, but went unnoticed.

"He'd kill me if he knew about any of this stuff." With elbow on the desk, she cupped her chin in hand and briefly thought of the different ways that Hitsugaya would react if he got wind of her plans.

"Oh no!" she moaned and scrunched her eyes shut; "Rather than kill me, he will freeze me into a Momo-sized ice cube!" Not good. "And worse, he will stand there and lecture me all day, while smirking because I would have no choice but to listen! Oh he is so diabolical! Darn him!"

Covering her face with her hands she moaned again. "What am I going to do?" Definitely the number one priority was to keep him far away from her business as she could. Ranked number one in the art of kido but dead last in the art of lying, Momo knew that subterfuge was not one of her strengths.

"Stop thinking about Shiro-chan for now!" she scolded herself. "It's slowing you down!"

Not that she had ever been 'up to something' before; she was much too boring of a person for that. Still, he was always inquiring, asking, and using that scowl of his like it was some sort of weapon, and right at the most inconvenient of times too! And each time he did that, what was her response? What kind of shinigami caves in every single time and spills their guts? It didn't matter that he was a strong captain, or that he was a genius, damnit, _he _was the small boy who spit watermelon seeds in her face! She clenched a fist. By golly, it was time she started sticking up for herself and,… and… her fierce expression fell, she didn't have a clue on how to go about doing that.

Yes, 'What To Do About Shiro-chan' would be an on-going issue while she went about the business of gathering certain important items. Momo pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn't have a clue. There weren't many around who could outthink Hitsugaya-kun. She sure wasn't.

"What to do, what to do?" Momo clenched her fists, squeezed her eyes shut and muttered, "Think Momo, think!"

"Argh!" She let her head fall forward to thump on the desk while muttering into a pile of paper, "Nothing. I got nothing."

It was then that old memories came to mind of life before the Academy when she still lived with him and Granny. How could she have forgotten that? None of the other kids who lived around them wanted to be friends with the strange silver-haired boy. They were afraid of him, but neither she nor Granny had been afraid of him. He was _their _Shiro-chan. She remembered the lost, haunted look on his face and the hurt in his eyes that he never let anyone else see. Instead, he learned to hide them over the years under an icy detachment and cool exterior.

"I have been such a horrible friend! I forgot that _**I **_was going to help _him _and take care of _him_." Her brow wrinkled in thought, "but instead, he started taking care of me!"

Momo stood up, angry. How had she not seen it! "That little, white-haired, sneaky, watermelon seed-spitter! I didn't ask for him to protect me! It was supposed to be the other way around! Darn his, his… his…. "Insults were hard to think of when one wasn't used to making them up, "…his stupid little white lock of dangly hair!" She stamped a petite foot for emphasis.

She narrowed her eyes in thought wondering when exactly, had things switched between them? Searching her memories she found it.

The day that he entered the Academy Hitsugaya had come to find her, pulled her away from her friends and told her that it was his life's ambition to protect someone, with his life if that was what was called for. At the time she didn't realize that it was _her _that he was talking about. Momo slapped a hand to her face. "I am so dense! How did I ever get to be an assistant captain! The Fifth's token dunce, yep, that's me!"

Collapsing back into her chair, she placed her elbows on the desk and sank her face onto her palms. "Buy why, Shiro-chan? You didn't have to protect me! Renji and Kira don't go to the lengths you do! You poke and pry into my life, wanting to know where I am going, who I am seeing, what I am going to do… But why? I treated you as a pest… which really, you are sometimes, even as a captain." She moaned softly into her hands as her eyes burned with tears of remorse. Blinking and sniffing, she used the backs of her hands to wipe away the moisture from her eyes.

So, to find out that it was Shiro-chan, not Aizen-traitor who had always been watching over her, keeping an eye on her, forever in the background, not receiving any recognition or thanks for being her silent knight in shining armor. "But not anymore", she whispered softly to herself. _I am the older one. I took care of him. It is still my duty to look after him. It always was, but in my selfishness I forgot. _That last bitter thought made her mouth turn down. _He is a captain now, and the Soul Society needs him. It needs him more than it needs me. Besides, it is always the responsibility of the vice-captain to protect the captain. I know he has Matsumoto, but from now on, I will also protect him from harm and this time, it will be me doing it from the shadows and not him!_

She brightened as a thought came to her. "I know what I can do for him! If anything happens to me, I know what I can bequeath him in my will!" She grabbed a clean sheet of paper and began to write on it. "It's a little unorthodox, but who cares, it's just what he needs." _Friends._

When finished, she sealed it and wrote on the flap for it to be given to Hitsugaya taicho upon her death. Then she took several more sheets and wrote short paragraphs on them and upon finishing she sealed them and put the names of her friends on them.

There. That was taken care of. Momo reached up and twirled the lock of hair in front of her ear around and around her finger as she thought about her dearest friend.

"Thank goodness that he has Rangiku for a friend. She will take care of him." Then, with a smile she took the sealed letters and carried them to the nightstand by her bed. There, she placed them in the top drawer. She didn't want them in plain sight for anyone to see, but she also wanted them to be found in case she failed in her quest for atonement.

Thank you for bearing with me. Things start happening faster after this.

Dwellin


	3. Clueless

Bleach does not belong to Dwellin. Sad but true.

Updated 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Clueless**

**Not Dead-Last in the Clueless Race**

"What is _WRONG _with you today?" A voice yelled from the other side of the room where his vice-captain's desk was situated.

Although he was startled, Hitsugaya didn't let it show on his face. Instead, merely lifting his head to find Tenth's company lieutenant leaning over her desk, supporting her impressive top-heavy weight on arms ending in white knuckled fists. There was a great deal of her to lean. _Really, what keeps her from toppling over is anyone's guess_ thought Hitsugaya mildly. He stared at her for a moment before languidly arching one white eyebrow. What most normal men were forced to voice, Hitsugaya could convey with a mere twitch.

Rangiku took it as a sign he was listening and for her to proceed. With a toss of her head, she flipped hair the color of the sinking sun over her shoulder.

Now that she had the attention of the icy-demeanored captain, she asked again, but without the shriek this time, "What the _**hell**_ is wrong with you?"

"What is it now Matsumoto?" He leaned back in his chair with a sigh. It had been a long morning. It was looking to be a longer afternoon. "Can't you see I am trying to work?" Which in Tenth Captain speech meant, "_And I am doing yours as well so leave me alone"._

"Oh right!" Now the busty shinigami straightened, placing one hand on a full hip and rolled her eyes.

"Don't give me that!" She held up the lecturing finger and began, "I rejoiced when you came in late," she eyed him curiously but refrained from asking if her captain might have been out on the town the night before. Knowing him like she did the answer was a firm 'no'.

She continued, "I ignored the non-stop muttering, smiled at the cursing, bore in silence the grinding of teeth, shook my head at the breaking of pens, but this sighing of Hinamori's name over and over is starting to drive me crazy!"

"I, I…" he sputtered. "Not!" _Nice, very quick thinking on my part_. This was all news to him. If anyone inquired as to how his day was going, he would have replied that it was uneventful and quiet. It was just like Matsumoto to spoil it!

She merely looked at him. He knew that look. It wasn't one she used often. It was the same appraising look she gave him upon their first meeting and also the second time when she advised him to rein in his reiatsu as it was injuring his Granny. She reserved that look for special occasions that reminded him (as if he could ever forget) that there were depths to this woman, which she kept hidden. Lucky him, this must be one of those special times.

"Taicho? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. You are imaging things. Get back to work."

In a twinkling, she was in front of his desk snatching the paper out of his hand. Rangiku gave a snort after glancing at it. She had suspected as much. It was a standard request form for cleaning supplies and all that was required was his signature. Oh look, whose name could this be, written in the margins over and over again? She held the paper up and rattled it.

"This, this is what I am talking about!"

"Would you like me to add on a request?" Hitsugaya asked calmly.

"NO, because it won't ever get filled at the rate you're going!" _I would mention the irony of this right now but it would probably be wasted on him. _Rangiku thought.

"Taicho, I have been over there working my fingers to the bone processing report after report. Look!" she added in a whine, "My fingers are nearly bleeding and my nails chipped!"

Hitsugaya looked down at the hand she held out for his inspection. They were perfectly manicured, as usual. He leaned a bit to the side so he could see around one ample hip to her desk. There was a tower of papers in the 'to do' box waiting to be processed. It was still as high as it was when he first walked in this morning, and not one paper in her out box. He leaned back and cocked an eyebrow at her.

Snatching back her hand, the ginger-haired woman lifted her nose with an offended sniff. However, despite her natural laid-back nature she was even now mulling over what do to about her captain's problem. Essentially, the problem was that he was unaware of the problem! Time for Rangiku, Soul Society Advice-Sensei to step in and impart her wisdom!

Resting an elbow on the desk, the silver-haired captain cupped his chin in hand to watch her, knowing that the fukutaicho was up to something and vaguely wondered how to divert her. Instead, he opted to ignore her by pulling another sheet toward him and began to speed read his way through the page.

Matsumoto knew the look and narrowed her eyes at him. _There is no way in hell that you are going to ignore me! Not today you little tyrant_! She let go of the paper she was still holding and watched as it floated down to her captain's desk. Seeing his head lift, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes and her lips tilted up in a grin. Most men would consider it a 'come hither' look. They would consider wrong. He knew better and groaned softly to himself. An angry Matsumoto was easier to deal with then an impish one.

The older woman placed both hands on his desk and leaned in close to study his face. He tolerated the search, only the stiffening of his spine reflecting his unease at the trespass into his personal space.

Should he mention that she was leaning over, as in leaning _way _over, right in front of him? There was nothing left to the imagination here. Clearly aware of the mounds being flaunted at him like twin weapons of warfare, he kept his blue green eyes fixed on her face, not allowing them to flicker although his lips tightened ever so slightly as her ridiculously large bosom inched closer. She was baiting him again. She did that to every male she thought would let her get away with it. Really, the woman was a danger. One of these days she would poke someone's eye out.

Rangiku smiled like a cat having cornered a mouse. She could count on one hand all the shinigami males who didn't fall for the ole 'boobs-in-face' maneuver with her little captain sitting in first place. Lately she tried it every so often to measure where he was with the whole puberty thing. Didn't he realize that when the hormones switched on that there was no 'off' switch or even 'let's slow down and take the scenic route'? The vice-captain also knew that he was desperate to hide from her the fact that he was growing, changing and maturing, but who could not but help notice that he was getting taller? Who did he think he was fooling anyway?

Wait; did she just see his gaze waver ever so slightly? Well, well, wasn't that interesting. Rangiku knew it didn't mean that the silver-haired captain was interested in her. What it meant was that her little taicho was growing into a man and men can't help but look especially when such an impressive mountain range is practically shoved in their face. This was what she had been waiting for. No longer was that passionate, overprotective possessiveness of his toward Hinamori the only thing that was in operation. The ginger-haired woman bet that being added to the mix was the yearning, longing, need, and desire unknown to him in the past. Oh, he had always _loved _Hinamori but now he was moving into a less familiar area of physical attraction and was confused as hell by all of it. Yep, her uptight little taicho must be just one taut silver hair from snapping. This was going to be good.

"Taichooooo?" She cooed softly at him.

Surprising her, he dropped his head onto the pile of papers in front of him and began to mumble something that sounded suspiciously like, 'why me?' Even his spiky hair looked dejected, drooping as he mumbled to himself.

Rangiku let him have his little theatrics while she lifted a hand and inspected a flawlessly painted nail. Nope it was still intact even after using it to pry a staple loose, yesterday. Eventually, her captain lifted his head to stare at her with an uncharacteristic look of gloom on his face and she couldn't help but think how cute he looked and how helpless. Her heart melted. Scratch the plans for teasing him about certain physical developments now. It could wait for another opportune time.

"Done?" She inquired with sympathy.

The snow-haired captain sat up and straightened his captain's cloak. With a curt gesture the Tenth's captain indicated for her to have her say. Hitsugaya knew she wouldn't leave him alone until she was done haranguing him.

Holding up a finger she stated, "You are in love and your love has rejected you." She eyed him critically, "Or she is in love with someone else." Then shrugging, "Either way, you end up screwed," then with a tilt of her head and a wry smile she corrected, "or not. Maybe that's the problem right there."

"Wha… wha…" was all he could sputter out, his great genius obviously deserting him when he needed it most.

Bending slightly at the waist with a hand on hip (her favorite lecturing pose) speaking slowly, she said, "You. Are. Soooooo. In. Love." She stopped to watch his face flood with color. Ah, this was a very beautiful moment and she intended to savor every precious second of it.

In a heartbeat the stunned look disappeared from the eyes of the boy captain who wasn't such a boy anymore. He sent his lieutenant a glare that could pierce through kido walls. It didn't faze Matsumoto as she was a veteran of such stares by now and merely dimpled sweetly at him. She did have to admit that the room was getting decidedly chilly though.

"What do you think you know?" he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Taicho, the question you should be asking is, 'who doesn't know?' She straightened and threw out an arm to encompass the whole Seireitei, "Everyone from the lowest sewer cleaner up to the Captain-General… heck," she paused in thought, "I bet even Zaraki taicho knows! And of course, the whole stealth corp so that means Soi Fon taicho."

"Oh Lord," whispered a horrified Hitsugaya and let his forehead fall onto a palm. It was his worst nightmare come to life. Not the Soi Fon part, which was bad enough, but everyone? The faces of the captains of the Gotei Thirteen flashed through his mind, Unohana, Ukitake, the Captain-General, Zaraki, Kurotsuchi, (that produced a wince) the assistant captains, all the way down to the little, fresh-faced young shinigami at the Academy… That did it; any respect he had worked so hard for over the years… gone, evaporated.

Then the thought struck him. Lifting his head, he looked up with a dull expression, "If everyone knew," he asked hoarsely, "why hasn't anyone said anything to me if it is so very evident?"

A thought struck him, _OH GOD_, he clutched the edge of his desk, face paling as his heart sank and his blood ran cold. Horrified, he choked out in a whispered, "Does,… does Hinamori know?"

That would be the ultimate in humiliation. All these past centuries he had been waiting to arrive at adulthood so he could ask her to marry him, but he never counted on hormones being added to the mix or the uncomfortable and confusing time of moving from childhood to being a grownup. During this time he had looked at marriage as a child does, even if that child is a genius, without the understanding of an adult. Now that he was growing in knowledge and comprehension, he was coming into a much different awareness on marriage and what exactly the physical part of it entailed. (He fought down a blush). But he didn't have to be an adult to know that he loved Hinamori and wanted her for his own. In the past, there was always a 'someday' attached to that thought as he also knew he had to wait until she got over her childish adoration of her captain; no, her _former _captain the dirty, rotten traitorous,.. _Calm, maintain calm,_ Hitsugaya ordered himself as ice inched out across his desk.

"Taicho, taicho," scolded the older woman, "No one is that stupid. They all know if they had said anything to you that they would have found themselves frozen into a block of ice for a century or two. Besides," she chuckled, "Everyone is waiting to see what happens. There have been bets placed decades ago…"

"WHAT!"

"… and I am telling you this now because I want to win and the time I bet on is soon approaching." It wasn't, but she wasn't about to tell him that. Best to let him think she was as selfish, lazy, irresponsible, and insensitive as she tried to portray herself. "But of course, the placing of the bet was up in the air since it all depended on you reaching puberty first before you could act on any of your…" she looked at him from underneath lowered eyelashes, "feeeelings."

If he weren't so busy being utterly and deeply mortified, he would have reached over and throttled his lieutenant with his bare hands.

"Just to let you know, I am backing you all the way taicho, with the few who believe in you. And let me assure you that those who were betting on _him _are feeling pretty damn silly right about now."

He clutched the sides of his head and planted his elbows on the desk. That was supposed to make him feel better?! Could this day get any worse?

"Oh don't you feel bad about Aizen, I knew he never felt that way about her and now we know for sure, don't we? That whole "run her through with his zanpakutou" was a dead giveaway, don't you agree?"

Leave it to Matsumoto, only she could wrench a silver lining out of the experience of being skewered.

"Now Momo-chan doesn't realize it herself, but she loves you too taicho, even though she had us all worried there for a while as it seemed she only had eyes for Aizen all these years."

He didn't bother to look up. He was going to have a word or two with whoever was in charge of selecting the vice-captains. Very icy words indeed.

Thinking he was feeling insecure because of the rival for Hinamori's affections, she continued, "Taicho, he was never going to be a lover, he was the father figure, the safety net, the guide and mentor every girl hungers for at that age. She was absorbed with him because of that. You had nothing to worry about once she got over her infatuation with all his perfect attributes."

Keeping his face lowered as he fisted his hair and jerked repeatedly, he accused, "What is your bankai anyway, going around and sucking the joy out of someone's day? Because let me tell you, it's doing a fantastic job! "

She plowed on, ignoring him, "Well of course we all know now it was a bald-faced lie, but he was her world, standing for everything safe and stable. In short, all that we from the Rukangoi all desperately wanted."

"I hate my life." He finally lifted his face but his eyes were blank.

"Now, now taicho, you know she was only in love with the image presented. You just need to be patient Toshiro. She will come around any day now."

Hitsugaya's eyes finally focused on her face, not because of her words but at the concern he heard in her voice. Her light-colored eyes were unusually gentle and thoughtful, so much so that he finally had to look off to the side. He was reminded once again that she was not only his subordinate but also his friend.

Hunching his shoulders, he finally could admit to her, "She told me she didn't want to be friends anymore." For the life of him, he couldn't keep the misery out of his voice, "And that she is going to treat me like she does all the other captains, with respect." He said it like it was the worst, and filthiest insult or slur to his character ever to be uttered. He fisted the garment above his heart, right now something was twisting inside of him and it felt more excruciating painful than when Aizen's zanpakutou ran through his chest.

Rangiku took note of the down turned mouth and anguish-filled eyes. The urge to march over to Hinamori's quarters to shake the younger woman into some sense was strong. Maybe later she would indulge herself, but right now her not-so-little captain needed her.

Hitsugaya lifted his head to stare hard out the window. Crossing his arms he reluctantly admitted in a low, tired voice filled with pain, "She also said that she didn't want to see me anymore."

**Clueless Law-Abiding Cat Burglar**

Momo was exhausted but it was only mid-afternoon. Besides, being exhausted was a normal state nowadays but she was starting to get used to the feeling as well as getting used to rising while it was still dark and traveling to her secret training place and spending hours going over drills and exercises. Once the embodiment of her zanpakutou was formed in the physical world, she would need to meet that embodiment in battle and master it. But in order to form a bankai, her mind, heart, and soul had to be in harmonious balance with one another.

Along with that, she had been using the evenings to pour over maps of the Seireitei. There were marks on the maps where she had already snuck into several different places. The odd thing was, and what she had been expecting, was to hear about the thefts the next day, yet not one word was mentioned, instead, it was business as usual. She did try to keep her nightly excursions in a random pattern so they couldn't be anticipated and now there was only one last building and then she would be done with that phase of the plan. Tonight was the last night.

The first place Momo broke into was the Underground Assembly Hall's Great Archive, Dai Reisho Kairo, to find and make copies of all the recent history covering Urahara and Aizen and find any information on Hueco Mundo. Unfortunately, she didn't find a thing. Either the files were moved or destroyed. Oddly enough, where she found the gate and connection coordinates was in a place where she didn't think they would be, in Aizen's desk. Out of sheer desperation one night she decided to check there. Why not, since she already had his security code (and why hadn't they changed that?) and maybe something was overlooked when Aizen defected.

It hadn't been hard getting into the office as the temporary workers replacing her (it felt good to know that it took a seated officer and two non-seated officers to do her work) left the office for the night and then snuck in. Momo found the standard 'eye's only' files issued to captains in Aizen's bottom drawer where she was expecting to find it. Momo had always thought it odd that he wasn't as strict about security as the others were. Now, she was grateful he wasn't as uptight as Captain Soi Fon and Captain Kuchiki about rules and regulations. _Why couldn't they be the traitors instead of Aizen?_ She thought disgruntled, both captains were well respected by many shinigami, their personalities were much like Hitsugaya's zanpakutou, a little on the chilly side and definitely sharp and cutting if one were to get on their bad side.

What she did find was old files that showed where the alarms were in different buildings and committed them to memory.

And now, tonight, she was ready for her last job. Every word of what few documents she possessed had read so often that she almost knew it by heart. What she first wanted to get was the Hougyoku**, **and she now knew more about that object than most, but obviously, it would be well guarded and probably nigh-on impossible to find. One last time she went over everything to determine that there wasn't even one clue she had overlooked. Once she was positive there wasn't anything else that could be gleaned from the copies, she burned them and placed the ashes on bottom of her trashcan.

Maybe she was being paranoid but she couldn't help herself. All this sneaking about, using kido to mask her movements, taking reiatsu syringes, stablizers and few other things that were expressively forbidden, well it was beginning to affect her sleep and eating patterns.

Dark taffy-brown eyes squinted in thought while trying to estimate the best time to sneak out. The when, Momo decided, was all a matter of nervous ulcer versus fear, and slowly the stomach acid was beginning to outweigh the fear. _I am only as brave as my last tummy gurgle! What a testament to heroism that is! _

The more pressing problem was how to get through the gates on this side of Soul Society, as it needed the power of two kido-users to open them. She knew no one else would help her, in fact, they would see it as their duty to stop her in.

So, that was next on the list to figure out. Momo reached for a book that she started writing in. It was going to be an account of her days with Captain Aizen. It wasn't that important to her plans, rather it was more for her own sake of mind than anything else.

Looking down at the first line written, she read it back to herself, "The first time I set eyes on Captain Aizen was my last year at the Academy…" Then she flipped to the page where she had left off and with a neat hand, she continued writing. The quiet whisk of her pen brush moving across the page was the only sound heard for hours.

**With Friends Like These….**

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Momo's head snapped up, her hand jerked leaving a long black streak marring the page. The intrusion was totally unexpected. So deeply immersed in the past she hadn't been aware of anything going on around her.

With wide startled eyes, Momo whipped her head over to find Renji standing in the doorway with a curious Kira peering over his shoulder.

"What are you two doing here?" she asked, puzzled.

Casually, Renji leaned a shoulder against the doorway, obviously trying to look cool, or manly, or whatever, she wasn't sure. What kind of influence was Captain Kuchiki having on him anyway?

"Actually, temporarily-on-leave Hinamori fukutaicho, what are **you **still doing here?"

Momo blinked. "Why, why… er, nothing? Yes, I mean, uh, nothing, er, nothing at all. Why do you ask?"

Renji cocked his head at her fumbling reply but didn't remark on it, while Kira also cocked his head in twin to Renji's. Any other time it would have made her smile. But not tonight, as she was busy surreptitiously scanning her desk to make sure there was not one clue or sign of her activities of late for them to find.

"We were waiting and when you didn't show up we decided to look for you. You know how Kira gets when he is worried. A right pain in the ass he is."

Somewhat annoyed, Kira objected, "_YOU_ were the one who said we should look for her as she might be in a ditch somewhere dying of exposure!"

"Exposure!" Momo turned to look out the window. It was close to sunset but the only exposure here was that of a crisp fall day. What was she going to be exposed to, falling leaves?

Renji slugged Kira in the shoulder.

"OWWW!"

"Oh stop being a baby!"

"You!"

"No, you!"

"Did I miss our dinner date?" Momo hurriedly interrupted hoping to nip their dazzling back-and-forth repartee in the bud. "I thought it was tomorrow night."

Kira gave Renji a look before turning to Hinamori and answering with rueful grin, "Nope, tonight." Then he caught sight of all the papers strewn out over her desk and the stack of papers on the floor piled on either side of her. With eyes bugging out, he blurted, "That's not the Fifth's usual daily workload is it? Geez, this is worse than the Tenth's! Remind me never to transfer to your company, Hinamori."

Chuckling, Momo took that moment to stretch her arms out straight in front of her with the fingers linked and palms outward to work out the strain across her shoulders. It felt good. The petite shinigami didn't realize that her muscles were getting sore from sitting for so long in one position. Usually she didn't write this long in her journal, but she felt she was onto something and wanted to chase the memory trail as far as she was able for the evening.

"Oh it's not that bad. Since this afternoon, I have been working on writing a memoir." Always stick as close to the truth as you can if you are trying to cover up a lie. She glanced out at the window again, "I didn't realize it was getting late though."

Kira gave her a frown of disapproval. "When was your last meal?"

"Well _mother_, I ate a little while ago," and gestured to the plate and tray on the floor next to the stack of papers. "See."

Half of the food was left and looked dried out and crusted over. Renji eyed it dubiously, "Yeah, but when exactly was that?"

The dark-haired girl lifted her eyes to the ceiling in thought, trying to recall when the meal had been brought to her. There were certain perks about being considered a mentally fragile convalescent with a delicate constitution. Squad members from the Fourth delivered one meal to her every day. Usually she was able to make it last for a couple of meals, that was, when she remembered to eat.

Renji was next to her in a flash. "If you can't remember, then it's been way too long." Quick as a wink, he grabbed her arm and lifted her up from her chair.

"Let's go, we are taking you to dinner and making sure you eat. No excuses!"

It was with surprise she looked down at his very firm grip. Renji was really strong! When had this happened?

"But, but, I'm not hungry!"

Now Kira was on the other side of her, hand grasping her elbow just as firmly as Renji was holding her upper arm. Okay now when, exactly, had Kira gotten stronger also? Two tall shinigami males against one shortie, this was so not fair!

"Too bad. You're going and you're eating."

"You can't force someone to go to dinner and eat!" Momo protested indignantly.

"I quite agree with Renji. It is obvious that you have not been taking care of your health and obviously haven't eaten regularly of late. As your fellow assistant-captains and your friends, we are honor bound to make sure that you are taken care of."

"Yeah, what he said, only not so fluffy-like."

On that note, the two larger and stronger shinigami practically lifted and carried their companion out the door even as she squawked in protest, toes kicking back and forth as she tried to get them planted so she could dig in her heels. Obviously neither male was going to give her the chance to do that.

"I hate you two, you know that don't you?"

Renji grinned widely at Kira over Hinamori's dark head, "As long as you eat, hate away!"

Kira nodded in agreement.

**Clueless in the Moonlight**

Later that night, standing under the porch overhang in front of her quarters, Momo waved goodbye to her two male friends, showing her teeth in a semblance of a smile. Under her breath she was muttering what little swear words she knew. She was stuffed full and was certain that she would be waddling for the next several days.

"Thank you! It was a delicious dinner and the company was delightful," she called out after them. It was a half-truth. In all honesty, it had been an unnerving evening as the two of them sat opposite her and watched every bite she took like a couple of hungry mama vultures.

"With friends like these, who needs hollows?" She remarked to the night air but kept up the wide smile that was beginning to hurt her cheeks.

Waving until her friends were finally out of sight before dropping the smile with relief, Momo gave a great sigh and turned to enter the house. Sliding the door behind her, she leaned against taking a moment to gather her thoughts for that night's mission.

Then, hurrying to the bedroom closet, she reached behind several spare outfits to the shelf tucked to the side in the back. Folded on it was the outfit she called her please-don't-see-me clothes. The vice-captain of the Fifth was discovering that her confidence was less dependent on ability and more reliant on 'fake-ability'. The kido she developed for just this purpose was draining so Momo needed to be in and out of a place in just minutes. If the kido hiding her presence fell then the outfit would help her blend into the shadows even as she hid her spirit pressure. _It's nice to have a back-up plan_, Momo thought rather pleased with herself.

When she was through dressing, Momo took a look in the mirror to make sure her face was covered sufficiently for those 'just in case' circumstances. One never knew when things might go badly.

The hardest part of the costume was getting her head covered sufficiently and that meant the bun had to come down. She wasn't used to the feeling of hair on the back of her neck, and not only that, it tickled.

Finally, when only hazel-brown eyes peeked out at her, she gave herself a thumb's up sign of approval at the outfit, which looked a lot like the uniform that the members of the Punishment Force squad wore. Then, for fun, she tried to glower in the mirror at herself only the look wasn't very intimidating at all. _Note to self, never join the Punishment Force, they would only laugh me back to the Academy!_

With a self-deprecating shrug she turned away from the black-clad reflection and moved toward the bed. Pulling a sack out from under the mattress that she used for carrying stolen items and then after pulling on a pair of black gloves, she decided all was ready for her debut as Momo the Black Cat Burglar. Or should it be Black Cat Burglar Momo?

Taking a deep breath the vice-captain of the Fifth quickly whispered the first chant, not that she needed it, she could do this spell in her sleep, and then also dampened her reiatsu for safe measure. Her tummy gurgled and she poked it with a finger commanding, "Not now! Bother me later!" She had just eaten, not as much as Renji and Kira wanted her to, but still, her stomach shouldn't be making hungry noises now. Proof, obviously that she wasn't meant for a life of crime.

Momo took another deep breath of air to calm herself before grabbing up the bag and heading out the back door into the night. Right away she noticed that there was a marked drop in the temperature while she had been getting ready and also the wind had a bit of a bite to it. Involuntarily she shivered, but wasn't sure if it was from the chill or the risk factor involved in her nocturnal activity. She cast a disgruntled look at the full, and glowing moon. Maybe this wasn't the night to go, but the filching couldn't be put off too much longer, and besides, if she didn't finish this stressful business soon, it was going to put her back in the Fourth and there was no way she was going back there if she could help it!

It was only a few flash steps to the supply building used to store the equipment used for kido training. Even those few wore her out. The petite shinigami doubted that Yoruichi's title of 'Flash Master' was in any danger from her.

Momo was glad that tonight's undertaking was the last one on the list. This would be the easiest of all the buildings in the Soul Society to break into because, why lock it? Who would want to steal old training equipment? _Besides me that is_, she thought. It was also the one place lacking any kind of a watch on it, but Momo wasn't about to let her guard drop because of that. Not even one little mistake could be made or it would ruin all of her plans.

Darting into the shadows between a grounds-keeping building and the shed where generic swords were made and kept for novices, she waited for a moment, spying out the area around her for any movement or trace of reiatsu coming her way. Momo scanned the area one last time and was relieved to observe that everything was undisturbed and calm.

Slipping from her hiding place, she made it to the equipment building and paused before trying the window. Despite the fact that this wasn't a building holding anything of real value, Momo was still surprised to find the window unlocked. Paranoia usurped her thoughts for a moment wondering if it was a trap or not. _I could stand here all night being indecisive and not accomplish anything! Courage Momo, you can do this!_

Resolute once again, she pushed on the unlocked window and it swung inward on squeaking hinges. With a graceful leap, she jumped through and came down to land on the floor without making a sound.

The first thing that registered was the smell. It was dusty with sour odor of old sweat mingling in with it. Wrinkling up her nose she began breathing through her mouth. Giving her eyes a moment to adjust, she turned in the direction where the reiatsu containment globes were stored. With great care she made her way toward one side of the building where the tall storage shelves were located. On the far end of the shelf, located near the middle of the room, were shallow boxes that held the globes that were smaller than the size of her palm. Unsure of how many globes were needed, Momo was hoping to get at least ten in her sack.

These were used in kido training when the upper level students were able to control their kido better after years of studious training. Untying the sack from her waist, she shook it open and began reaching for the globes. Carefully Momo placed them in the sack, not because of fear that any would break, but that they would make too much noise if carelessly dropped in one after another. Although it was very unlikely that someone might be walking near the place at this time of night, Momo was determined not to take any chance of being overheard.

The globes were made out of a translucent green color and seemingly were nothing but ordinary glass balls with an opening that had a stopper shoved into it. If a student applied water to a spot, then that area would become sticky enough to attach it to something. It had to be done quickly though, as it would only stick to a solid surface for a couple of minutes. They were made from a translucent material that couldn't break easily. The balls were usually filled with reiatsu and could be lobbed, rolled, stuck to something, but were used in helping students focus and deflect spirit pressure. She remembered how difficult and tricky to use the globes when her class first practiced with them, and now it seemed like such child's play.

At any rate, she didn't have to worry about the little globes breaking in her sack. What she was concerned about was the noise but even being careful, they still clacked and pinged against each other. Momo was glad that it would take a good deal more than that to break them. They were perfect for the job she had in mind.

Once the sack was full she took some of the remaining balls and placed them in every other vacant spot to lessen the likelihood that the theft would be discovered, or at least, maybe not as quickly. The dark-haired girl allowed herself a few moments to arrange and rearrange them, because she did have a bit of a neat fetish about certain things, like paperwork, her hair, how her clothes were washed, her living area… okay, more than just a couple of certain things.

Just then the front door swung open causing her to freeze in place. A figure stood there on the threshold of the building, their shape rimmed by the silvery shine of the moonlight streaming around from behind them. Momo stood perfectly still, not because her reactions were so quick to respond to the unexpected, but because she was shocked into immobility. Who could it be at this time of night? And why did they suddenly need training equipment? The idea that there might be two cat burglars crossed her mind and she wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it, but quickly swallowed the impulse. She may not have read the handbook on how to be a thief, but she was pretty certain that good cat burglars never alerted others to their presence with frivolous laughter.

The equipment building was rectangular in shape. Where she stood by the shelves was almost about a third of the way to the door. The shadow in the door shifted slightly and just then the moonlight glinted off his hair and caused it to light up in a dazzling silver glow. Her heart plummeted to her stomach as she recognized who it was, and who wouldn't? Those silver locks about his head were agleam with an ethereal light. Oh dear Lord, it was Toshiro!

Hardly daring to breathe, she released the globe in her hand. Unfortunately it hit a neighboring globe which made a barely audible soft 'plink' noise. Worse for her was that the captain of Tenth Division turned his head in the direction of the sound. Great, he had the ears of a freaking bat!

Slowly, Hitsugaya stepped into the building and as he did so, the silvery light slid from his hair to land about his shoulders. With relief Momo was able to discern from his shadow that he didn't have his zanpakutou with him, not, of course, that he wasn't dangerous without it she amended hastily. Hitsugaya could be terrifyingly scary any time he wanted, with or without Hyourinmaru. Time to make a prompt and speedy getaway.

Momo took a careful step back, and was unnerved to see that he was taking a couple of steps forward in her general direction for each one she was taking backwards. Even knowing he couldn't see it was still alarming that little by little, Toshiro was making his way toward her position as if he knew her exact location.

Sparing a glance over her shoulder, she gauged the distance between her and the window. Right now the gap was smaller than the space between her and Hitsugaya, but there wouldn't be if he kept up this habit of taking a couple of steps to her one, and his were longer she might add. Should she take a chance and race for the window and hope that his ears wouldn't be able to…. Shoulders slumping Momo realized that Shiro-chan would know in an instant where the invisible thief was. Nevertheless, she _was _invisible and could use that to her advantage, so it wasn't time to worry yet.

Going purely by reflex, she grabbed a globe and tossed it over his head so that it would land behind him. She waited, crossing her fingers and hoping he would investigate in the opposite direction.

Now that Toshiro had moved out of the glow of the moonlight, Momo found she could barely make out his white hair in the gloom as he stopped to listen. A faint ray of ghostly white just barely illuminated a sliver of his high cheekbone as he turned his head to listen. She kept a wary eye on him as she tied the top of the sack and got ready to make a dash for the window.

Momo was on pins and needles. Any second now, he would shift and start in the opposition direction of where she was standing. Any second now, he was going to move. Any second now…. _C'mon Toshiro! MOVE! _She thought impatiently. Oh, wait, there it was, a slight shift of the shoulders that had Momo tensing and rising up on her toes. _Move, move!_ She urged him in her head. There, he moved his head just a wee bit so that meant….

_WHAT! _…He was coming toward her! It didn't help that at that moment clouds passed in front of the moon blocking what little light was able to illuminate the building through the few windows and the open door. The inside was instantly plunged into darkness.

For Momo, that was the last straw. She could hear the scuff of measured, unhurried footsteps coming closer and that pushed her into a state of primal fear. Turning and running flat out for the window, Momo didn't give a whit about whether she was giving away her position or not.

As she leaped up and sprang through the opening thanking any deity that cared to listen that she was small in stature. The petite shinigami hit the ground running before remembering to adjust into a flash step in order to put as much distance between her and Toshiro as she possibly could.

Momo stopped at the corner of the shed to listen and then headed toward an alley between two barracks before stopping again to check for Toshiro's spirit pressure. Since not even a thread of it was discernible she slowed down to a walk so she could catch her breath. Not sleeping and eating on a regular basis was causing her to pant heavily and run out of steam quicker than usual.

Suddenly, she was plowed into and knocked off her feet. Landing and rolling with her attacker on the ground she could only ask herself, _What? How? What happened to my shielding? _But there was no time to dwell on the problem for when she struggled to stand a leg hit the back of her legs and swept her off her feet. The bag of globes slapped into her side throwing off her balance even further while also smacking against her. She fell back hitting the ground with her head first before landing on her back, the globes tinkling musically in the sack. The air whooshed out of her lungs and her vision went black for a second, but knowing the danger of imminent capture motivated Momo to spring to her feet and attack.

It was Toshiro again. He had been hiding his reiatsu so he wouldn't be detected. _Dirty sneak! _ Using her own trick to trick her, well that was just plain low!

It was hard to refrain from protesting. He was not being gentle at all as he blocked her punches and kicks while retaliating in kind. The Tenth's captain was fast too, very fast because he was getting in two blows for every one of hers even if she was invisible! Worse though, he may be able to fight just by using the sense of hearing, but that didn't mean she could. For now, the fight was more evenly matched since it was apparent that he was better at fighting in the dark then she was. Also she wasn't trying to hurt him while he didn't seem to have any qualms whatsoever about not hurting her!

Just then the clouds shifted and the moon came out, illuminating the alleyway in a sharp brilliant radiance. It was all Momo could do to bite back a cheer. With the odds now stacked back in her favor there was a better chance she could escape from Hitsugaya's relentless assault.

Startling her, he spoke, "I know you are a woman, but do not think that I will go easy on you because of that," Hitsugaya threatened as he seemed to look straight at her… no not at, her, _through _her. Good, her shield was still intact, but Toshiro was so scary looking when he was in the middle of a battle.

The only thing that soothed her frayed nerves at the moment was the fact that there was the lack of killing intent behind his words along with a lack of flaring reiatsu. There was nothing else she could do so instead of replying, which obviously would have given away her identity, Hinamori ignored his threat and ran at him.

Hearing her approaching footsteps, Toshiro was already in motion and with a fluid ease to his movements had no difficulty in blocking her attacks as she spun, twisted, and bounded about, trying to land a decisive blow that would disable him long enough for her to escape.

Even though Hitsugaya couldn't see her, he could feel the air movement around them, hear the telltale scuffle of feet landing and taking off again, the exhaled air and grunts the thief uttered even if she refused to speak.

With an innate ability to track the sounds and predict the next move, Hitsugaya wasn't worried about his opponent being able to defeat him, especially after trading blows. This thief was not very strong. What he was concerned about was that if the female, and female his opponent was of that he was certain, got out into the open, it would be harder to capture her. Catching the burglar all depended upon keeping her trapped in the alley in a hand-to-hand battle before immobilizing her for capture. Although she wasn't the strongest adversary he had ever fought, but she was quick, agile, and slippery, not to mention, invisible, making it difficult to bring her down quickly. Regardless of landing many blows, the cat burglar kept slipping out of his grip before he could secure his hold on her.

Momo was beginning to get tired and wasn't sure how many more of his attacks she would be able to dodge before he landed one that took her down for good. Not only that, but so many of her strikes on him were brushed off as soon as a mere hint of contact came near him. It was as if his skin was embedded with radar and could sense whenever one of her assaults came anywhere close to him. It only proved what a superior shinigami and formidable fighter her childhood friend was in comparison to other soul reapers. In fact, it was scary, and besides getting worn-out, Momo was also beginning to panic. She was invisible for shinigami's sake! Without a doubt this was a very humbling experience to feel like a mere Academy student again. Maybe now was a good time to worry.

Deciding that a new strategy was needed, the kido-master eyed the alleyway, the wall, and the height of the roof. It might be easier to get away if she were out in the open rather than in this cramped alleyway, which was working more in his favor than hers. Every little noise was amplified for him to pick up and use against her. Now, if she could hit the side of the building at _that _angle Momo realized it should help her launch higher into the air giving her a bit of an advantage. And, since he wasn't able to see her, Toshiro must be tracking her merely by sound, deduction, and luck, oodles and oodles of the kind of dumb luck that favored the short and silver haired.

Giving it her best educated guess, the trajectory should place her near the top of the roof and from there she could make a speedy getaway. Saying a quick prayer that her plan would work, she braced herself and leapt for the wall ready to ricochet off of it. Pleased with herself at how little sound was made, it came as a complete shock when suddenly in mid-air an arm snapped around her waist and clamped down hard. No way could he have heard anything! No freaking way! Was he able to puzzle it out from the bare minimal rustle of clothing and the slight tap as feet hit the wall? He knew right where she was going to be and when! Not fair!

Momo felt herself swinging around in a circle while he twisted, spinning them both as Hitsugaya brought her in close to his chest. The Tenth's captain kept his grip on her despite the fact that Momo was determined to not go down meekly, if quietly. She repeatedly slammed an elbow into his gut while also jabbing the other at his throat. All she got for her valiant efforts was a tightened grip and a few soft grunts. Darn it all! Toshiro was clearly a seasoned fighter and her pathetic attempts were laughable. Why oh why hadn't she paid more attention in the hakuda, hand-to-hand combat class!

When the two landed, both hit the ground equally hard and the sack of globes swung around but this time they didn't hit her, but hit him… somewhere in a delicately sensitive area because in that instance Momo felt the grip around her lessen even if only a tad bit. However, that was all she needed to slam the back of her head into his face while twisting to send an elbow flying to his chin. Following that, she leaned down and clamped her teeth down on his arm.

"Blast!" he spat out, and sent a punch that hit her ribs causing the air to explode out of her lungs, but more importantly, to stop biting him.

Damn! That was going to leave a mark! With a low growl, Hitsugaya realized he was losing his hold on the person responsible for the incidents of late and aimed for where he thought the burglar's head was at. He could tell when it landed that instead of the head he hit a shoulder blade. Cursing he pulled back and tried again but this time aimed higher. Having the moon out was an advantage for her as Momo saw the blow coming. The result was that Toshiro smashed his fist into the ground causing a startled oath to burst out of his mouth.

Now the woman was flailing about, kicking, gouging, scratching and biting like no ordinary opponent he had ever had the misfortune to fight before. Either the female wasn't really a shinigami or was beginning to panic. He was leaning toward the latter opinion when, again, she bit him hard, this time on his hand. Yanking his arm back, Hitsugaya was able to snatch his hand free from her very sharp teeth. Nothing wrong with her incisors, blast her! With an explosion of air from his lungs, the invisible female pushed off on one knee, using his stomach as a launch pad.

In a mere blink, Hitsugaya rolled to his feet poised to spring at the slightest sound when a foot connected with gut sending him staggering back several feet. Darn female was quick all right! Even as he stumbled backward and slammed into the wall, his eyes narrowed as his ears waited for even the smallest scrape or scuffle to give away her position.

When Toshiro had staggered back, Momo used that moment to roll in the opposite direction. She was truly alarmed now. Panting quietly so he couldn't hear her trying to catch her breath, she decided that it was time for a change of tactics.

Instead of rising to fight or run, she kept absolutely still. With her back pressed against the wall, she saw Toshiro push off from the wall, nimble and agile as a cat, a really, really angry cat with silver locks nearly quivering from his fury. _Oh my, he looks livid. I bet that head-butt really hurt, or maybe it was the bite. Or maybe the two combined. _Then in resentment, she thought, _He deserved it though! _

She saw him scowl and the teal of his eyes darken with anger as he scanned the alleyway trying to figure out where she was hiding. This was getting more involved and scary. After all, Captain Hitsugaya was a powerful, dangerous and extremely pissed captain and right now she was merely an extremely scared Momo! Then she watched with baited breath as he moved closer to her position.

Toshiro knew the thief was still in the alley or else he would have heard the sound of footsteps running away from him and her flash step was that of someone who was not quite skilled in using it. Where could the she be hiding? In a test of strength, he knew he would win. It was irritating that the criminal was hiding behind that shield of invisibility.

"Give up, I will defeat you eventually," he declared in an icy tone.

Momo shivered. Was it her imagination or was there frost forming on the ground? If it got much colder her breath would start to give her away. She really needed to escape!

Coming to a standstill, the captain of Tenth Company closed his eyes so he could focus. He knew he was close to the thief, he could feel it. If he tampered with the weather and caused it to get foggy, it might outline the shield and then the fight would swing in his favor.

Hitsugaya could have done that earlier, but this fight was helping work off the frustration constant boiling within him over recent events with a certain obtuse and maddening lieutenant with eyes the color of light chocolate. He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts. Damn he had it bad but had needed to go somewhere and expend some energy because he was getting tired of yelling at Matsumoto who just took it all in stride in her unflappable manner. Especially when she responded with phrases like, "Isn't he just the cutest?" This is definitely what he needed, a good fight and not just a practice bout with his subordinates. However, the thief was either the luckiest klutz alive or an extraordinarily skilled shinigami cat burglar. Somehow he doubted the skilled part.

Momo was watching the change of expression on the white-haired genius's face and she knew what a good deal of them meant. What it added up to was that he was going to stop playing around now and start getting serious about whupping the burglar's butt, unfortunately that being her butt. And that was going to happen really soon now because she was getting worn out. It was time to cheat.

Quietly she reached down, quietly spread her fingers, and then at a painstakingly deliberate pace, scooped up a fistful of dirt. Then Momo jumped to her feet, noting that no sooner had she done so, he was already spinning and unbelievably fast in lashing out with a kick toward the sound of her movement. Unable to block the blow, it hit her in the side causing her to stumble back and fall to the ground with the merry jingle of the sack to give away exactly her location.

Right then, there was nothing more Momo wanted to do than curl up in a ball and cry. That really hurt! She squeezed her fist tight to make not to lose her one advantage (one would have thought being invisible was it, but it only meant she wasn't getting her butt handed to her on a silver platter just that much sooner!) and sighed with relief; lucky for her she held onto it during the attack.

He must have heard the sigh. "Woman, you are weakening. Give up now and I give you my word you will receive a fair trial."

_Oh right! The members of the Council have not yet been replaced. Who is going to judge me, the strict, Captain-General or Miss Gotta-Follow-the-Rules-So-I-Must-Kill-You, Soi Fon? I don't think so, Shiro-chan! _

"If you are a shinigami, like I suspect you are, then the punishment will be harsher but it won't be a death sentence." His sharp eyes were darting right and left as if he could pierce the darkness with them.

_Yeah right! You… you… stupid head you!_ For some reason his cool aloof attitude was grating on her nerves, never mind the fact that she didn't believe him. With captains like Kuchiki and Soi Fon, who were known for their inflexibility and obsessed with duty, honor and killing anyone that didn't go along with their ideas of what being a shinigami meant, she didn't stand a chance. Then there were the unpredictable ones like Kurotsuchi and Zaraki, and who knew what they would vote for, probably anything ending in gore was her bet.

Why in the world did he think that saying those things was going to make her want to surrender? Momo glared at him. Sometimes genius-boy wasn't so smart.

Slowly, quietly, Momo pulled herself up into a crouch. There was only one chance to get this right.

Toshiro stood still, cocking his head while every fiber of his being tensed and concentrated on listening even as he went over what had been learned about her in the brief interaction between the two of them. He knew that she was approximately his height, and the slender yet toned muscles of her body told him she was in top physical condition and had some very nice curves, not that he was interested of course.

The other thing that was evident was that she was not much of a hand-to-hand fighter. Well, actually, neither was he. Out of the four combat methods, the hakuda combat method (hand-to-hand) wasn't his principal method of fighting. Though hakuda was taught to every shinigami it was rare that one needed to use it. Most shinigami relied on their zanpakutou to eliminate hollows.

It didn't matter if hakuda wasn't the method he favored, Hitsugaya knew he could take this opponent in matter of seconds if she had been visible! In fact, he could probably take her now if he could just get a good enough hold on her. _And not lose it in the scuffle_, he thought sourly.

He eyed the narrow confines of the area, measuring it. Toshiro studied the wide space where he knew where she had to be located, judging from the angle of strike and deflection. Taking into consideration where he started from to where they were now and then to where they both had hit the ground, he was sure she was right… about… there...

Without a word, Toshiro flash stepped and spun, throwing out a punch aimed high and swiftly followed by a low leg sweep. The punch didn't connect, but then he wasn't expecting it to, but his kick landed on or near the hip. He spun and followed it with a low leg sweep.

At the sound of a dull thud, the silver-haired youth knew she had slammed back against the side of the building. The muted sound of a cry being suppressed told the white-haired captain exactly what he needed to know. Before she was able to recover he was already hurling toward the place where he had heard her land.

After tackling the thief, the two hit the ground with a dull thud and in a split second Hitsugaya twisted until he was on top and able to use his greater weight to keep her from squirming away until he could get a hold on her wrist. What was going to happen then, he wasn't sure, but he would think of something.

Despite the circumstances, Toshiro couldn't help but notice he had been correct, if she was taller than him, it wasn't but by a hair. Strong for a female, there was a slender wiriness to her body that flowed down to a tiny waist, tapering out to a firm flank. There were definitely some graceful lines here, which curved up to a very nice set of… torso, good torso! Some things he would have noticed whether visible or not.

Toshiro caught hold of one flailing arm and while keeping a tight grip on it, traveled down the arm even as she was desperately trying to yank it out of his grasp. The other one was busy punching him but he repeated what he had done with the first arm and finally captured her other wrist. Now he had her! Twisting them down between them, he smirked, "You didn't think you would get away with this did you? We have been aware of you for some time. Now you will be brought to justice."

Momo frowned, _who does he think he is, Tousen? _Then, feeling a bit of guilt, started to apologize to him in her mind. Interrupting her unspoken apology, Hitsugaya tightened his grip around her wrists hard enough to cause her to gasp. _Okay, not sorry anymore! You brought this on yourself Toshiro! _ She kneed him.

Only a breath before that, it dawned on Toshiro that this was not the best in-fighting position to be…. Right then an explosion rocked Toshiro's world while behind his eyes stars detonated, clustered, faded then started the process all over again. Without realizing it, he dropped his hold on the thief, gasped and unconsciously curled protectively around his wounded pride and unprotected private area. He could not move for the intensity of pain that shot from his groin throughout his whole body. Gagging as waves of nausea tore through him, Toshiro retched; his stomach wanted nothing more than to empty out its contents right there in the alley. All that was bad enough but worse, without warning the young captain found himself bound by the kido binding-spell of the Six-rod Light Restraint. He noted through his haze of pain that the thief didn't use a chant and that meant she was a high-level master of kido. Even in pain his brain couldn't help but collect clues and ponder over them.

Then he felt something being thrown in his face, and as his eyes happened to be open at the time the next thing he knew was the stinging pain of dirt scratching his eyes even as he squeezed them shut.

He cursed but it came out more like a groan, but then who could blame him? There was nothing else to do. Unexpectedly, Hitsugaya felt the light touch of fingertips skimming across his cheek. The thief was touching him? Following that was a ghost of a caress through his hair before the fingers lifted, leaving him in confusion. He listened to the footsteps hurrying away along with the fading tinkle of stolen globes, and noted the direction for later, not that it would do any good right now.

"BLAST!" Only one time in his life had he been this helpless and that was when he and Hinamori were left in bloody heaps as Aizen and Ichimaru walked off to finish their business with Rukia Kuchiki. The fortunate thing here was that no one was wounded near death, although certain body parts were in complete disagreement with him on that point.

Concentrating, he let his reiatsu flare like a beacon and held it that way until he was sure it had been spotted. Then he released it and laid his head on the ground. There was nothing more he could do but wait. Matsumoto would arrive shortly. She may be lazy, but she was fiercely loyal and concerned about his welfare. Pride wanted to hide the whole affair, but his duty as a captain wouldn't allow him the easy way out.

Soon, the soft crunch of feet landing in the alley way told him she had arrived.

Hurrying toward him, Hitsugaya heard the concern in her voice as she asked, "What happened taicho?"

Hitsugaya didn't bother with feeling grateful as she broke the binding spell on him. Crouching, she swung one of his arms over her shoulder before rising. Since he couldn't straighten all the way, Matsumoto hunched over supporting his weight until he could stand on his own. The pain was still rippling through him and Toshiro tried to not grab himself in a specific place with his free hand which all his instincts were screaming at him to do. He was humiliated enough as it was. It was going to get worse, much worse. He already knew what was coming. Matsumoto had witnessed his total helplessness. He wondered what her reaction would be.

"Home," he grunted, finding that he still couldn't straighten all the way.

"Was it the thief taicho? Did he do this to you?" She eyed his stance then asked, "Did he kick you in the ba…"

"Matsumoto!" He hissed since he couldn't quite yell yet, but took a couple of deep breaths as he limped and she supported him. Finally he was able to say, "Yes," although later he was going to regret it but his innate honesty wouldn't let him lie, "And it wasn't a man. It was a woman."

"Really?" Her voice rose in amazement. "My, my, that is a wonder. Soooo, do you want to write up the report or should I?"

_And there it is! _She knew there was no way he was going to let her write the report that would go straight to the Captain-General's desk and also be presented at the next Captain's meeting. Who knew what kind of dramatic slant she would place on it? He seethed. He could see it now; this story alone was going to earn her a month of free rounds from her sake-swilling drinking buddies.

He lifted his arm from her shoulders and started off in the direction of the Tenth Division, walking slowly with a slight limp.

"Uh Captain?"

"Don't even ask!"

"Right," and covered her mouth with a hand so he couldn't hear her snigger. Rangiku was starting to like this cat burglar and felt sorry for her. From this point on, she knew her captain would be hell-bent on putting this rule breaker behind bars. Since none of her own property was missing, Rangiku was glad for a little scandal to spice things up in the Seireitei, it made life less tedious and boring of late.

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Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it


	4. Loose Ends

Tite Kubo owns Bleach. Dwellin doesn't.

Updated: 9/20/12

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**Chapter 4**

**Wrapping Up the Loose Ends**

Hinamori muttered incoherently. The morning light was streaming in through her window at an angle that was hitting her in the face, making it impossible to sleep.

"Stupid sun…" She muttered. Then eyes flew open, "Stupid sun?"

She glanced over at her alarm clock and groaned. No doubt about it, she had overslept by three hours. Hinamori Momo never overslept! Well, almost never.

"I can't spend the day…..' she stopped in the middle of trying to lift her head off the pillow with a gasp. Every muscle in her body felt like it was screaming in protest. Slowly, gently, she laid her head back on the pillow. Doing a quick inventory, the mahogany-haired girl knew it would be impossible to make assembly that morning even if she wasn't required to be there.

With a groan, Momo lifted a forearm to cover her eyes and muttered, "Moving bad, not moving good." Thinking it over she decided that perhaps a life of leisure had its upside. Still, it only served her right and she got what she deserved for not keeping up on her hakoda skills since graduating the Academy.

Then the activities of the night before flooded her mind and she groaned again. Momo the Black Cat almost got caught and to make matters worse, she was almost apprehended by Shiro-chan! Knowing him as well as she did, she knew that he was not going to take being bested in a conflict lying down, especially when bested by a girl and someone he knew wasn't a captain-rank class fighter! This was all she needed, a stubborn, unwavering, and cranky captain determined to bring her to justice even if he didn't know that it was Hinamori he was after.

The thing that irked was that this last break-in was just one of the Academy's ratty old equipment building! Yet she nearly got caught last night! Where was he when she broke into the Great Archive? That's when guards should have shown up.

Then a thought hit her. Wait a minute; didn't Shiro-chan say that they knew about the thefts? But how could they? She had disarmed every one that was marked on the maps. Then her mouth made a small 'oh' as it dawned on her. Maybe they put newer security measures in since the defection of the three captains.

"Drat and a half! That was stupid, stupid, and stupid, not to have thought of it beforehand! Of course they would have done that as a precaution."

The bright side, and there was a bright side, was that she didn't have to be traipsing about at night anymore breaking into places. That was fine with her since being a cat burglar obviously wasn't the life for her. Being a cat burglar amongst incredibly powerful and lethal captains was very nerve-racking, and now she knew that the captains were watching out for her! She shivered. It was a thought that could easily have her curled up in a fetal position and whimpering.

Feeling the rising need to attend certain morning ablutions, Momo threw her covers back and tried to swing her legs out of bed. All she ended up doing was rolling clumsily onto the floor with a loud thump and a cry of pain. Slowly and cautiously the Fifth's vice-captain pushed up into a sitting position. Wincing, she lifted her nightclothes to take a look at her skin and was dismayed to find huge black and blue bruises running the length of her body and her arms and legs. There was no way she could hide the fact that someone had used her for a punching bag. Shohakusho sleeves ended about mid-forearm so there was no way to hide the bruising that stretched down to her wrists.

This was not good. Also, unable to move about without wincing and moaning were telltale signs that she was in pain and then people would be asking her what she had been doing…. Oh hollow poop! Worse, her friends wouldn't stop pestering her until they got the reason why she was so stiff and sore and that just could not happen!

Putting the problem on hold to deal with after attending to the more urgent need to pee, Momo crawled to the bathroom. Once finished and while crawling back to her futon, Momo came up with an idea. The drawback was that it meant an excruciating crawl into the kitchen, and then hauling her stiff, rigid body upright to make a certain tea. Life was just full of little hurdles.

When she finally made it into the kitchen, the female shinigami forced a stiff arm up to grab the edge of the counter, and in slow motion, hauled herself up to lean against it, panting. There was no doubt about it, she would have to stay home and inside for a couple of days at least or carry a sign into Soi Fon's office saying: "It was me! I did it! Please arrest me and put me out of my misery!"

Thoughts like these haunted her as she added different leaves and tinctures, coming up with a special tea concoction Granny had taught her and only her. Holding it up to the light, dark hazel eyes evaluated the contents that swirled the glass jar until they were mixed and changed the color to a sickly green.

If she followed the directions correctly, the slight female would need to drink the equivalent of several spoonful's before the desired effect would kick in. There was more than enough in the jar to last a week. Some cat burglar she was turning out to be! Darn that Toshiro for ruining her carefully laid plans!

It took longer to return to the bedroom than it took to get to the kitchen, as it was awkward pushing the jar across the floor as she crawled. _This is why one never sees an animal packing a lunch. _

When she finally reached her futon, Momo placed the jar next to her bed and then leaned back to see if it could be spotted by any visitors. Part of the lid showed, but after arranging the covers, she was glad to note that it was hidden from sight by the nightstand and the blankets. At long last the bruised girl was able to crawl under her blankets, and with a grateful sigh pulled them up to her chin.

Hinamori tried out a fake cough to see how it sounded. Nope, too healthy-sounding. The shinigami tried out several different kinds of coughs, searching for the most authentic sounding before finding one that didn't sound like it was phony. Tired out, she wiggled deeper under her blankets. Who knew that feigning illness took so much work, energy, and creativity? However, it was a fine line she was walking. Momo wanted an excuse to be sick for days, but didn't want to be considered so sick that the Fourth Company's captain would be sent for.

She sighed. What a hassle it was trying to fool people.

Staring up at the ceiling, she remarked out loud, "This whole cat burglar business is inconvenient and unquestionably flushing my morals down the toilet!"

Not wanting to think about morals at the moment, she wiggled around trying to find a comfortable position so she could fall back asleep again. It would take a while for her heart to stop racing from her demanding crawl to and from the kitchen so she decided that a pep talk was just the thing, "Courage, Momo, take heart! Remember who this is for and what this is all about!"

On the heels of saying that, she recognized Kira's approaching spiritual pressure.

"What luck, I'll try this out on him first," she said, as she reached for the jar, unscrewed the lid, and took a healthy gulp and nearly spat it out. With enormous force of will and twisted features Momo forced it past the gag reflex and swallowed it; and not a moment too soon.

A light tap sounded at the bedroom door.

"Come in," she warbled hoarsely.

The door slid open and Kira's face appeared in the doorway. The slightly apologetic look that was a Kira's persistent expression was replaced with worry.

Again, reminding herself to act ill, she whispered, "What do you need Kira?" and hoped she wasn't laying it on too thick.

"I went to the Fifth's mess hall to have breakfast with you since I am off today, but you weren't there and I got worried."

Momo, playing the role of ailing friend to the hilt, smiled wanly and replied, "I have the flu." As Kira made a motion to enter the room, she added hastily, "No!" Realizing it was a bit too healthy a 'no' for a sick person, she raised her fist to cover a fake cough, and then said, "I don't want you to catch it Kira."

It took a great deal of effort, and not a bit of it was acting, but she managed to pull herself up into a sitting position. Once she was upright, she felt the tea begin to do its job. Clamping a hand over her mouth, with wide panic-stricken eyes she motioned toward the trashcan in the corner. Thankfully Kira caught on right away and bounded over, snatched it up and thrust it out in front of Momo, and not a moment too soon.

As soon as Momo was through retching and coughing, Kira set the can down and hurried to the bathroom. He found a cloth, held it under the cold water and wrung it out before rushing back to his sick friend.

The blonde shinigami made a motion like he was going to pat her face down with it but Momo held out her hand before he could get too close. Eying her anxiously, the Third's vice-captain reluctantly gave it over. After she wiped her face and mouth, Hinamori's attentive friend took it back to the bathroom and rinsed it out.

"I'm sorry, Kira," Momo said softly as he came back in, "I hope I don't give you my flu. Maybe you should go…'

"And leave you like this?" he replied indignantly.

_Yes, yes, leave me like this, please! _ Of course, she didn't say that out loud. "Oh, I suppose I will be able to…"

"I will stay here by your side and take care of you for as long as you are sick!"

Momo caught the laughter before it erupted out her as he delivered this speech. He was trying so hard to look gallant and caring at the same time.

_This is not my day! _She considered while leaning back against the wall. Thankfully she was wearing the sleeping top with the long sleeves to cover up the bruises on her arm. Kira was naïve in some ways, but he had been trained and spent years in Fourth Company and obvious knew there was no "black and blue" skin disease. She wanted to grimace. Having such a perfect gentleman for a friend who wanted to help her with everything was just damned inconvenient! And everything meant just that, _everything_! If, he meant also helping her to bathroom, and she suspected he would insist on it, there was there was no way she could hide the bruises.

_What do to, what to do_, she thought with alarm. Nothing was coming to mind that would deter Kira from what he saw as a duty to a friend. Why oh why, did she have to be so blessed to have such good friends? Sometimes it really sucked to be so well thought of.

Again, using her close-to-death voice, "Kira, would you mind making me some beef broth?"

As if given the key to the city and the mayor's sash to the Seireitei, Kira whole demeanor perked right up. With a huge grin he said, "Sure, no problem, what kind of meat? Let's see, there's pork, chicken, beef, or duck? What is your preference, one, a combination of a couple, or all together?"

"Whatever, it doesn't matter to me if it moos, squeals, clucks, or quacks."

Kira grinned, and said, "You just sit tight Momo, and I'll get you that broth right away."

He turned to leave when he heard a soft, "Thank you Kira."

Looking back over his shoulder he said, unexpectedly, "I am not going to lose my friends too." With that remark, he was gone.

Momo closed her eyes, and leaned back on plumped up pillows, wondering exactly what kind of wounds Kira was walking around with that couldn't be seen from the outside. He was betrayed by and lost a captain he had so looked up to and admired; he tried to hurt, if not kill, one of his best drinking buddies; and he believed Ichimaru when the Third's captain said he wouldn't hurt Hinamori.

One tear escaped to roll down her cheek. With the back of a hand she wiped it away and sniffed loudly. Kira was one of the people she vowed to be a better friend to when all was said and done.

Weighed with an unexpected sadness, Momo only wanted to burrow deep under the covers, but she needed to be ready to drink another dose as soon as Kira's returning spirit pressure was noticeable.

This was the tricky part, getting the timing right of drinking a dose versus the time he could be expected to check up on her. The important thing was to vomit in as disgusting a manner as possible, hoping that it would gross out anyone with a weak stomach from wanting to play nursemaid.

Although, when it came to Kira, who was indeed softhearted and gentle but, unfortunately for Momo, was made of tempered steel when it came to those he considered friends. No, he wouldn't flinch no matter how disgustingly sick she became. Blast him, he was just that irritating type of self-sacrificing friend!

And so for the rest of the day, Kira brought broth and wet towels, and also emptied out the trashcan for her the couple of times after she used it. Lucky for her, she was able to talk him into sitting in the living room when he wasn't in her room taking care of her. The fervent hope was that he would get bored with nursing duties but no such luck.

Once people found out, a steady stream of visitors dropped by to see how she was doing. Her only entertainment to keep her from going insane with boredom was to track people's reiatsu. Doing that also meant she could tell when someone was coming for a visit. When they entered they were welcomed with the sight of a vomiting Momo. So visits quickly tapered off when the word got around of the amazing spewing Mount Momo-suivus.

After a few days, Kira was asked, or begged, to come in to the help in the Third Company's office. Feeling unusually resentful, she marked with irritation that the elders must have considered him of sound enough mind and let him go back on duty; obviously not a 'nutter' like Hinamori fukutaicho. Of course, Ichimaru was not one of those meticulous and diligent captains that saw keeping up with the paperwork as a near sacred duty. Instead, he left all but the most important matters to Kira to sort, sign, send on, or file.

For one brief period of time, Matsumoto agreed to take over Kira's nursemaid duties, mainly because she couldn't stand his big puppy-dog eyes when he pleaded with her to help out with taking care of Hinamori. An apologetic Kira came in early that morning to inform flu-struck girl of the change.

After he left, Momo drank some tea and waited. Sure enough, Matsumoto no sooner stuck her nose in the door to ask if Momo needed anything, when the Fifth's lieutenant gushed forth her answer into the garbage pail.

"Right," responded Matsumoto, "I'll get someone over here toot-sweet."

Without further ado, the curvaceous woman slid the door shut and set off to find Renji. It was too bad she couldn't see the expression on Hinamori's face at that moment. Momo gave herself an internal high-five. Did she know her friends or what? And Renji, he would be the easiest one of the lot to fool when it came to being sick. Since it didn't have to do with fighting or competing with his captain, he would be oblivious to her subterfuge.

Momo had decided that morning she should had been sick long enough and should start the healing mend so didn't vomit once the rest of the day. Was Renji lucky or what? Actually, she was getting tired of faking sick, it was too much work. And she was sure her friends would certainly appreciate it too, some more than others.

As it turned out, even though it was only for one day, Renji was a better caretaker than she would have expected. Underneath that macho guy exterior beat the heart of a gentle person. Rukia was a fortunate woman, decided Momo, if she decided Renji was the one for her.

When she let Renji know in no uncertain terms that she wasn't interested in a blow-by-blow detail of every drop of spilled blood from his past battles, Renji began telling her all about how the ryoka became the Soul Society's friends and his part in all the events. Surprisingly, Renji observed many relational messages even if he didn't understand what they all meant, but Momo could tell. Ishida was interested in Orihime, Orihime was interested in Kurosaki, who was interested in Rukia and no one knew for sure if she was interested in him the same way or if it was Renji. She was glad she wasn't involved in anything like that. It looked like a big mess.

Then, without realizing it, her thoughts drifted toward Hitsugaya.

**Interlude**

"Taicho?" The whine could only be one person; her voice drifting out to him from the small kitchen in the room off to the side.

"Do we have to patrol tomorrow night? Don't they know we just did it last night! It's like they have decided sleep is a hobby, and unnecessary one at that!"

Hitsugaya placed the last piece of paperwork in his outbox. Everything was caught up, orders for the next day's schedule were already posted, any new regulations issued at the last captain's meeting were circulated, new recruits were assigned to squads, requisitions were filled for the next quarter, efficiency reports were finished, and everything was in order. All, he might add, accomplished without the help of his fukutaicho.

A loud clatter came from the kitchenette. Doors were being opened and then slammed shut. When the muttered oaths started getting louder he took pity on his lieutenant and informed her, "I had someone come in and clean everything out."

There was a long pause and then a plaintive, "Everything?"

"You heard me."

"I heard you but I can't believe it!"

Matsumoto's voice could be heard muttering quietly to herself as she continued to search and Hitsugaya wondered how long she would keep rummaging around when it was obvious that all the sake bottles were gone from their hiding places.

"Taaaaiiiiichooooo," she whined, louder this time.

"Spare me Matsumoto. Oh, I forgot to mention it, but that Kurosaki kid brought something back from the human world to give you."

The ginger-haired woman was at his desk before the sentence finished leaving his mouth.

"What is it?" Her light blue-gray searched his desk avidly. "Where is it? Is it jewelry? Mani-pedi kit? Gift card?"

The silver-white haired captain snorted softly to himself and pulled out a piece of paper from his desk drawer and handed it to her. "Here."

"It's a piece of paper."

_Dur_, he thought to himself as he watched her scans flash back and forth across the brochure.

"Storm warning," warning, thought Hitsugaya to himself as he watched the thunderous expression settled over his lieutenant's face. Yes indeed, a dark cloud was on the horizon and a whale of a storm was in the forecast. He readied for the explosion.

"**WHAT!** He thinks that I'm an alcoholic!"

Angrily, Matsumoto crumpled up the paper and hurled it toward the garbage. "

When's he due back? I'll show him twelve steps! Twelve steps right up his ass! _He _comes barging into our home without so much as a 'by your leave', beats the snot out of law-abiding citizens, and then gets all high and mighty about _my _drinking problems! I don't have problems with drinking! People like him are my problem!"

_Only she would edit the story of the ryoka's invasion just for her benefit_ thought Hitsugaya as he rested his chin in his palm and watched with a bored expression as his adjutant stomped around the office calling the orange-haired ryoka every name in the book and then some. It must be an off day for her since she was responding in such a low-key fashion. It only took several trips around the room ranting and raving about uppity humans before Matsumoto calmed down enough to return back to his desk.

Crossing her arms under her most impressive feature only tended to emphasize them, but instead of being impressed he just sighed resignedly.

Finally, as the silence stretched out, he asked, "Tired are we?" as he looked up at her out of the corner of his eye and noted the dark circles under her eyes. "It looks like these night missions are beginning to take their toll."

"I am not tired…. I am out of sorts, it is a different thing altogether," she asserted, "And if I can't drink now," she shot an accusing look at her captain who shook his head, "then I should at least be able to take a nap!"

"I don't have a problem with that." Hitsugaya stood up, picked up the personal report he wrote on the events of the night before and started for the door. Before sliding the door shut behind him, he looked over his shoulder and said, "You will need that nap. We are definitely scheduled again for tonight."

"NOT AGAIN! I KNEW IT!" Matsumoto wailed and threw herself down on the couch with a flounce and a pout. "We did it last night and the night before too! I swear taicho, they're picking on us!" When he slid the door open, it finally dawned on her that he was leaving and asked, "Hey, where are you going?"

With a long-suffering shake of his head he slid the door shut behind him. She really didn't need to ask. She already knew where he was going. He was going to have a chat with some of Hinamori's friends. Ever since Hinamori didn't want to see him, he kept tabs on her by asking (i.e. grilling mercilessly) her friends about her whereabouts, her activities but especially so this past week since she was laid up in bed with the stomach flu.

With a nose wrinkled in disgust, Matsumoto informed him earlier that morning how lucky it was that he was barred from Hinamori's life right now and how could she go about getting on that exclusive list too? Taking care of a sick fukutaicho while they tossed up their cookies every time someone stuck their nose in the room to check up on them, well that was not Matsumoto's idea of a dream job.

The fact that Rangiku turned on her heel right after the first experience didn't mean that she didn't care; she just wanted to care from afar, not up close and personal within vomiting range. There was a reason that the voluptuous shinigami was never recruited for the Fourth Company. Even thinking back over the morning was making her feel a little queasy to her stomach.

"I think I'll go visit Hisagi, or even Kyoraku. Neither one is a workaholic…, oh damn!" She lifted her hand and placed it next to her mouth to yell after Hitsugaya even though he was long gone and she knew it, "I should have made a comment about a twelve-step program for sadistic workaholic midgets who suck all the joy out of life!" _Why do I think of these clever things when it's too late? _

It was then that the couch cast an enticing magical spell over Matsumoto and she responded, "I love this couch, I want to be buried with this couch." She stretched out over the surface and was asleep before her head landed on the arm.

**How To Settle a Dispute, Abarai-Style**

Momo blocked the downward swing to her head. The blow rattled her teeth and reverberated all the way up her arms to her shoulders. It was becoming tiresome while at the same time getting harder to block with each successive attack since Renji was coming back with increasingly harder blows. She couldn't complain though as he agreed to train with her today.

"You are getting better at anticipating the attack Hinamori," Renji acknowledged even as he leaped back and blocked a sweep aimed at his legs. "Although you still need to build your upper body strength, I don't see any problems with your speed."

Momo had approached Renji that morning to ask if he would help her train. While it was that ever since he achieved bankai, he could act a little uppity at times but for the most part he was accommodating. However, he could have done without the pat on the head in that oh-so condescending way of 'isn't the little girl so cute, she wants to play with the big boys'. Fortunately for her, Hinamori was much faster than she used to be and stronger too, but she had been holding back so far. Maybe now was a good time to show Renji she was stronger than he realized.

Leaping up straight in the air the diminutive shinigami brought her blade back so it would look like she was going for an overhead strike when she suddenly twisted and brought the blade in quickly, swinging in a lightening sweep from low to high in an upward strike. It wasn't meant to be a power hit, what she was hoping to do was to create an opening for a precision thrust. If he didn't see it, then he would get a sharp poke in the stomach.

Renji barely leaped back in time as her blade whistled past him and Momo was satisfied to see his eyes widen in surprise. When he retaliated with a mid-level strike she not only blocked his blow but also twirled her blade around his and almost created an opening to go straight in. Not having the arm reach that Renji did, she couldn't quite make it work but still, her attack made him parry and retreat rather than attack.

Not pausing to gloat (like a certain someone with red hair would) the Fifth's lieutenant bent low to the ground and faked a side swing. Taking advantage of being low to the ground, she launched a blitz, coming at the tall lieutenant from underneath.

At his smirk and raised tattooed eyebrow, Momo frowned and sprang straight up and did a back flip over his head while shoving Tobiume straight at his face. Again reach that she didn't possess would have been the deciding factor in this move. Even though she wasn't close to marking him, the red-haired male dodged to the side to evade her attack. Once his foot hit ground he was already moving in a spin to face her, but he had landed slightly off balance and both knew he was lashing out from an unstable stance.

Despite that, Renji carried through with a responding attack even though his right shoulder was lower than it should be and he wobbled slightly as he launched. This gave a fierce-eyed female the opening she was looking for and lunged. Regardless of his off balance stance Renji perceived her intention and leaped back from the point of her zanpakutou while bringing up Zabimaru to block any reciprocal attack.

The red-haired shinigami was barely able to fend off her pressing attack and was forced back a step or two until he got his feet firmly set under him and began to unleash his own return attacks. It was more difficult than he anticipated for she pressed her advantage and charged in to keep him from regrouping and gaining the space needed to unleash Zabimaru.

The two blades whipped around in the air, and swinging so fast they were a blur to the eye. Finally, because of his superior height, strength, experience, not to mention a longer reach, the tattooed lieutenant of the Sixth was able to send Momo flying back with a powerful blow.

_He had to work for it though _thought Momo with satisfaction before she landed.

Renji admitted with a huge grin, "I see you have been practicing already, Hinamori. Should we take this to the next level?"

Actually, what she was hoping he would release his bankai. Even when she was pressing in close keeping him from unfurling Zabimaru in his shikai, Momo knew that an intense exchange would cause Renji to get caught up in a fighting boy hormonal response. Maybe it would cause him to release into a bankai. The she could practice evading and attacking until he won. The female shinigami knew she couldn't best him then, but only hoped to have the experience of fighting against someone with a bankai.

However, instead of releasing his bankai, Renji began to flash step back and forth, behind her, in front of her, to the side, up on a rock pile, and holding a position long enough for her to think that he was going to attack from that spot before moving again. Momo began to flash step as well. This too she had been working on.

Dodging, swinging, leaping and yelling, with metal dancing and clashing against metal so quickly that it looked more like blades of lightening were battling, until finally at one point the vice-captains rushed at each other at the same time and blocked each other's blade on their own. Pausing for a fraction of a second while catching their breath, the two sweating shinigami took a moment to stare into each other's eyes. Momo's toffee-colored eyes were aflame with determination while, again, Renji's were wide with surprise.

"Hey, when did you get…" he started when Hinamori suddenly pushed off of him and used a flesh step to jump back and off to the side.

Renji responded with a feral smirk and also began moving rapidly across the training ground toward her. Now this was his kind of training! No longer was it just helping out a weaker classmate but now it was closer to his level of fighting ability, as long he didn't release Zabimaru. Hinamori was giving him a good workout.

"Way to go Momo! Soon you will have the strength, expertise, and skill to back up that courage of yours."

"What courage?" Momo asked. She hopped off a rock pile and steadied her stance, ready for him to attack.

"Huh?" Renji actually stopped in his tracks, taken aback at her response.

"Renji I'm not brave but I want to be and I _am_ working on it," she stated firmly while wondering at his reaction.

"Momo," he replied, "Don't you remember when those new kind of hollows attacked us on our student training? You were the only one who went back to help Hisagi. The rest of us ran in fear!"

"Oh," she said quietly, her mind harkening back to their Academy days.

Both shinigami faced each other while holding their zanpakutou with both hands in a low position as they breathed heavily.

"Oh that," she remarked again, a soft pink blush rising to her cheeks, "I had forgotten."

"Oh? She says '_oh_'? How could you possibly forget?! I have never forgotten that time and I assure you, Kira hasn't either."

"Well," she protested, the light pink turning darker, "You know, you and Kira did come back to help Hisagi. I couldn't have stopped that hollow from killing Hisagi without your help."

Renji did his bored, 'you are so stupid' look that he usually reserved for Rukia, before saying, "You can be such an idiot sometimes Hinamori. We didn't just come back to help him, we came back to help you! The thing is, we wouldn't have come back at all if you hadn't raced back to Hisagi's side first. And you know what?"

She shook her head.

"He knows that you saved his life long enough…" this part was hard for Renji to admit, "Until _those _captains showed up and saved everyone. Hisagi won't ever let us forget it either."

Renji said in a sing-song voice, "Momo is braver than you will be at any given time!" Then the red-spiked shinigami snorted, "Top of his class, skipped a few levels, feh, thinks he's so tough! He doesn't think much of anyone who isn't a way better fighter than he is, except for you Momo." Here he stared at Momo as if seeing her for the first time.

Momo couldn't think of anything to say.

Renji studied his friend's face and went on, "He thinks you are the bravest shinigami he has ever seen," he stopped to watch her face now turning a beet red before continuing, "Even if you were insubordinate 'cause you didn't follow orders, and a bit of an idiot 'cause you certainly would have been killed. Neither of those things discounts that you were the only one who raced back to help even though it was your first trip out."

They stared at each other for a moment before he smiled and asked, "Hey Hinamori, why don't you transfer to my company?"

"What?"

"Sure, and then we could have more time to train and whip you into fighting shape."

Momo winced, she had no desire to be whipped into shape, by him or anyone else.

Renji went on enthusiastically, unaware of his friend's pained expression, "We might not be as hot-to-trot to fight as those nut jobs from the Eleventh, but we do get to fight just as much as they do while also priding ourselves on being first-rate shinigami," here he tilted his head thoughtfully and stroked his chin, "although it is a bit quieter than the mayhem over at their company. Captain Kuchiki likes things more orderly and calm."

Momo had no doubts about orderly or calm when it concerned Captain Kuchiki but she was skeptical that he would want someone with a besmirched reputation in his company.

Discerning her doubtful look, he gave her a cocky grin; "Ah he's different now that Kurosaki beat the shit out of him!"

With lowered head while doodling in the dirt with the tip of Tobiume, the chestnut-haired girl hesitated then took a deep breath before asking, "Uh Renji, is that all it takes?"

Now a quizzical Renji lowered the tip of his zanpakutou to the ground as Momo looked up and each regarded the other.

Finally Renji asked, "What in the world are you talking about?" His face scrunched as he tried to figure out if this was going to be one of those female questions that either took a mathematician or a magician to figure out, and with him being neither, he was sure not to be able get this one right. (If there was such a thing as a right answer.)

"Is this how men resolve conflict, by beating each other up until all that's left on the floor is a little pile of drool?"

He was right. It was like females communicated in an alien language. It was like there was a double-meaning that only other members of their gender could understand. And he was standing with his toes right on the brink of a towering cliff with the ground nowhere in sight.

"Well, yeah," He answered slowly but thinking furiously. "Uh, most things, er some things," he quickly amended, "can be worked out that way."

"Well that's just stupid!" Frowned Momo.

This was the problem with having friends who were girls. They always thought what guys liked was stupid but then, still wanted to spend hours with their friends discussing the opposite gender and trying to figure them out! Geez, it gave him a headache!

"Hey, it works for us." He grumbled, a deep frown pulling his tattoos down in a dark frown.

"Truly?"

"Yeah," he answered slowly, not sure where this was going. Not only was he on the brink but someone was sneaking up from behind.

"If I were to, oh say,…" she rolled her eyes upward trying to understand this very strange way that males dealt with relational issues, "trounce the pudding out of someone, would that help them come to terms with my point of view?"

Again, right at the brink but now that sneaky someone was shoving him!

"Er, not sure what you mean Hinamori, it depends on the type of…"

She interrupted, "Okay, if I got the upper hand in a scuffle, let's say, even though I was doing something they disagreed with…"

Renji's eyebrows and tattoos went climbing up his forehead, "Wait a minute, back up a sec here. _You _beat the snot out of someone? _You_? Whoa there!" He held up a hand and waved it back and forth for her to give him a minute to grasp the picture forming in his mind.

Momo frowned and grumbled, "Well, you don't have to say '_you_' in that tone of voice! I can be a pretty mean opponent if I want to be!"

One of his eyebrows twitched, and he started chuckling. "Yeah, right, Momo the Fierce! Gotcha, what a laugh!"

"Hey it's not funny! I am a lean, mean shinigami machine!" Protested Momo clutching her sword hilt tightly. She was starting to get upset at his merriment at her expense.

"You've watched too many of those movies Ichigo loaned me!" said Renji laughing but at her glowering look, he tried to put on a more serious face. "Okay then, le'me get this straight. _**You**_got in a fight with someone, and it was a '_guy_' someone, right?"

He waited until he saw her give a sharp nod of her brown head, before going on, "And you won?"

He waited until he saw another quick nod. "Would this someone not be very likely to accept defeat gracefully?"

She winced again before nodding.

Now he was curious, "Who is it?"

"Can't say."

"Won't say?"

"Lips are sealed!"

He eyed his friend questioningly before replying, "All I can tell you is that it depends on the guy. If he is someone who doesn't get defeated often, or has a great deal of pride in his talents and skill, then afterwards he is definitely not going to want to air-kiss, do mani-pedi's with you in an effort to make nice with you."

He rubbed his chin, eyes lifted to the horizon in thought before remarking, "Well, my guess is that he won't be satisfied until he has bested you in another fight." He then looked her up and down skeptically, "Although, it must have been someone pretty weak."

"Hey! I resent that!"

"What, you're not exactly competition for Zaraki are you?"

Momo frowned, looked down and off to the side and grumbled, "Well, no."

"So, if he's strong in any way whatsoever, and by some quirky miracle you managed to defeat him," he looked at her again, sizing her up with a doubtful expression, "Then be prepared for more challenges from…" he stretched it out hoping she would fall for it.

"Renji, I am not going to tell you who it is and that's all there is to it!"

"Okay then, looks like the conversation is over and nothing left to do but fight! " He grinned wickedly, while raising Zabimaru and waving at it her threateningly.

"Ack!" Momo cried at the fierce expression on her friend's face, "I'm not ready yet!" And she wasn't, she wanted to talk some more to try and understand the male mind; if that was at all possible.

For the moment though, the wisest course of action was to run, and she did.

Renji chased after her yelling, "Too bad Hinamori! Enemies don't wait until you are done powdering your nose!"

And then, just to really tick her off, he started yelling: "Girls make bad soul reapers! Hollows aren't afraid of pink! I bet your bankai's a curling iron! What if it's your time of the month? Think that'll scare them off?"

"You didn't!" Momo skidded to a stop, spun, leapt, and swung all in one smooth motion, smacking Renji's blade hard and moving it off point a bit. She would have followed through on the attack but he leaned back and twirled going low as her blade passed over him. Using his momentum, he would have tackled the female shinigami around the waist except she was already in the air. One petite foot planted and pushed lightly off from Renji's back.

"Hah!" She yelled as she spun in mid-air to bring Tobiume down but instead found herself wrapped up in the bony plated spine of Zabimaru. Hinamori struggled for a few more minutes but knew it was a futile cause. She was caught and caught but good.

"You win! Although you had to use bankai to do it!" She called to him and then noticed the change in his clothing upon releasing his bankai. "Renji! That outfit is so cool!"

If it were possible, she would have said that the red spikes of his ponytail stood up straighter as he glowed with pride over Zabimaru.

Then it occurred to her, "Hey! You did it without calling his name either! Wow Renji that's really great! You've become so much stronger and should be proud of yourself!"

Renji gently placed Momo on the ground before sealing Zabimaru to blade form, and then he walked toward Momo who was busy dusting herself off.

Momo smiled at the proud look of accomplishment on Renji's face and wanted to keep it there for just a little longer. She knew that Renji didn't get a lot of affirmation from his captain. In fact, none at all from what Momo could tell. She smiled at her friend and remarked, "How about I buy you some lunch? You beat me square and fair and without even calling out your bankai. Totally cool Renji!"

Now he scuffed the toe of a sandal in the dirt and she nearly giggled at his awkwardness at receiving a compliment. It was sad that he didn't often receive them.

"C'mon Renji, like I said, my treat." She slid Tobiume home and then linked an arm through Renji's and began pulling him with her. It didn't take much; he was quite willing to let her buy him lunch especially if she kept complimenting him like that.

Deep in the recesses of her heart, she could wish that that it was Renji that she was in love with instead of the wielder of Hyourinmaru. _Too bad_, she thought, _that one can't choose whom to fall in love with_.

It was later that night when Momo left her quarters and made her way across the Seireitei to her destination. She was in her normal shinigami outfit. A newly clean one, and she made sure everything was perfect.

She had come to an important decision and knew that she couldn't take on this whole quest of hers alone. A good shinigami should be able to assess the different aspects of a situation and know when one could take on a burden alone, or when it was time to bring in wiser heads.

Yes, this was an important private visit. There was someone she needed to consult with and only hoped the individual would agree to see her. For Momo Hinamori had come to the conclusion that it was time to consult a wiser head than hers.

* * *

Thanks for reading, input is always welcome because I'm fueled by compliments.

Oh, just a reminder, yes there will be Hitsu/Hina moments coming, but this is a story with a plot, I have many chapters to go so hang in there.

Dwellin


	5. The Genius of Not Being a Genius

Bleach, not Dwellin's but Tite Kubo's; so much for wishing on falling stars!

Updated: 9/20/12

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**The Genius of Not Being a Genius**

**When a Dragon is Cornered**

"Taicho, how did the meeting go?" Inquired Matsumoto as the Captain of Tenth Company stepped through the door.

Hitsugaya stopped short and then stepped back out the door to study the nameplate on the wall next to the threshold. Yes, it announced that this was the office of Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Tenth Company. He looked back into the office where his lazy assistant captain rarely sat, at her desk. With a grin reaching from cheek to cheek, she smiled back at him. He shook his head as if to clear it. Once again he took in the picture of his assistant captain hard at work in the morning when her usual day never started before noon. He gave her the usual glare reserved just for her. Something was up and he could already feel the beginnings of a tension headache starting up behind his eyes.

When dealing with the craziness that was Matsumoto, one could never rely on logic, reason, or sense. Taking a deep calming breath, he let it out and then asked, in what he hoped was a sane, unruffled voice, "Matsumoto, what are you doing? And why are you doing it so early?"

Rangiku almost giggled at the waves of disbelief and skepticism that were radiating off her taicho. Tilting her head as if puzzled by his question, she answered, "I finished yesterday's report, injured list, and requisitions for replacement of damaged equipment and right now I am finishing the scheduling for this week. Why? Did you have your heart set on doing it?"

"No, that's not it, I mean, yes, you can do it but… _why _the hell are you? You never do paperwork of any kind!" he accused, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Calm logic and tranquility flew out the window. This too cheerful attitude was not only fishy, but the fact that she was actually doing her job meant something major was going on. Then he happened to glance at her outbox and his jaw nearly hit the floor. It was full! It was full and the inbox on her desk was empty! Wide, shocked aqua-colored eyes turned to stare in disbelieve at his fukutaicho. Remembering his dignity, Toshiro took in a deep breath, let it out slowly and then eyed the buxom woman grimly.

"Matsumoto, I don't know what you are planning here, but I warn you…"

"Ah Taichooooo, you are way too cynical for someone of your tender age!"

He crossed his arms and stared back at her and kept staring despite the charming dimples she was flashing at him. Whatever her nefarious little plan was, it wasn't going to work. He refused to be fooled by the dimpling smile and fluttering eyelashes.

Stiffly, the young captain moved over to his desk and sat down; eyes never leaving her face even when he opened the desk drawer to search for a serviceable pen. While scourging through the detritus that littered his drawer; which was one of the few places Toshiro didn't bother to keep organized, his other hand reached for the papers in the inbox. However, when all his hand encountered was the bottom of an empty box, he looked up puzzled. His sense of touch hadn't been wrong, the box was definitely bare. Hitsugaya stared at it blankly as his hand patted around in the bottom even though it was plan to see there was nothing in it. His brain just couldn't comprehend what his fingers and eyes were telling him. His box was always full, always.

"Something wrong taicho?"

Whipping around to face his lieutenant, he demanded through clenched teeth, "Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"You know what!"

"What 'what' do I know?"

"THAT WHAT!" he loudly snarled, while pointing directly at his empty inbox with a ramrod straight finger.

"Oh, _that _what!"

He waited, still pointing.

She lowered her face and started writing.

"Matsumoto," he warned in a low threatening voice.

She looked up, grayish blue eyes bright and clear even if looking a little tired, now that he took the time to notice.

"Taicho, didn't you want the end of the week reports done today and the next training rotation schedule written up and passed out?

"Yeeeesss," he admitted slowly.

Actually, what he really wanted to do was yell at the top of his lungs. Hitsugaya may be a genius but right at the moment he was thrown off balance by the odd and bizarre actions of his lieutenant. He glared at Matsumoto who wiggled the tips of her fingers at him, obviously finding his mood amusing. Why were women so difficult to understand? (And interesting.) But of the unfathomable gender he found only one truly alluring. Damn hormones making the sight of women so much more stimulating these days. However, this specific woman with her vexing behavior was grating on his nerves to the point that he could cheerfully bankai her.

"Where. Is. All. The. Paperwork!" Surely there was no way she could misunderstand that!

Her eyebrows arched up in surprise. He was sure that it was done only to irritate him and the damn this was, it was working.

"It's completed taicho, the originals are filed and the copies sent out to appropriate captains and the records division. I came in early and finished my work and started on yours. And now I am almost through with that!" She gave him a beatific smile.

Shock. He was totally, completely, and absolutely shocked beyond all reason. This must be a dream, or maybe even something more sinister than that. Was it possible that it could be the result of Aizen's zanpakutou's Kanzen Saimin with its perfect hypnosis?

"Why don't you go make yourself some tea? You know that always calms you down." She suggested while looking down as she wrote, her pen working across the paper making scratching noises as she filled in lines.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I am always calm." A vein twitched in his temple.

"Then go down to the training field and trounce the living stuffing out of someone, anyone, and everyone."

"I don't feel like training. I don't feel like tea either. I just want to know what's going on here!" Damn if that didn't sound so much like the truculent teenager stereotypical he was trying to avoid.

The only sound was the pen moving across the paper. When finished writing, Rangiku placed the paper in her overflowing outbox before taking the last sheet out from the inbox. With a lazy but elegant swing of her hand, flipped a long lock of sunlit hair over her shoulder before beginning to read the paper in her other hand with brows puckered in a small frown.

"I don't know why I ever expect an answer out of you that you don't want to give, but like a fool, I keep trying," grumbled Hitsugaya.

"Really taicho, I'm telling you, you ought to go down to the field and get some practice time in. You know, when you are growing by inches every month, your body is awkward and uncoordinated until you get used to it. At least that's what it says in the "You and Your Teenager Handbook" Unohana taicho loaned me. Besides, since you are male I hear that it is good for you to work off a little aggression, and you will feel so much better."

"I am in perfect health, thank you." Then as an afterthought, added, "And my puberty problems are none of your business."

The ginger hair flew about her face as her head snapped up and leaned forward over her desk, "Exactly what kind of problems are you having taicho?" she asked with a gleam in her eye.

"Nuh… nuh.. nothing!" Must he stutter at a time like this!? He might as well be hooked up to a lie detector with the needle buried deep in the red zone of "Book me, I'm such a liar!"

"Uh huh." Matsumoto closed one eye as she placed chin on the heel of her palm, pinning her glittering eyes on her captain and studied him. His face was turning a brilliant shade of 'Renji red'.

"I think I know. It's those certain feelings and then the dreams…"

"MATSUMOTO!" The twitching moved down to his eyelid and he reached up and held it still with a couple of fingertips. It was still jumping beneath his fingers and seeing as there was no stopping it, he dropped the hand back down to thud on his desk. It was a sad state of affairs when matters came to this. How long had he been in the office now, a minute or two? Yet all that he could thing about was whipping out Hyourinmaru and icing down the whole office and frosting Matsumoto's oh-so smug attitude.

"Oh fine then, ignore all my sage advice and wisdom and just drown in your doubts and uncertainties when you could benefit from my vast experience..."

He was not even going to ask.

"…But since you won't listen to me, your best friend and fukutaicho, well then, I can see you are headed for some rough waters. Be that as it may, I am not here to try and badger you when you are clearly making a mistake. Soooo, because I know you are having personal problems of late…"

Again, he was not going to say anything. Better not to protest, it would only start another round of unending questions prying into his private life.

"I just want you to know that I have your best interests in mind,…"

Ha! That would be the day! He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a bored look.

"…So I thought I would get in here and get some things done so you could have the rest of the day off! But before you do, I have asked some cute new recruits to swing by this afternoon."

There was no keeping quiet on this one. "What! Why? What for?" he demanded.

She gave him a 'don't be silly look', "Because you need help of course."

All of a sudden Hitsugaya had a sinking feeling and decided that he didn't want to know, really he didn't because he knew this was going to upset him worse than he already was, but he was compelled to ask, "Help, with what?" while imitating a calm, sane person who didn't have a lieutenant like his.

"Why, since you have given up on her, it's to help you forget Hinamori…"

Hitsugaya jumped up, palms slamming down on his desk and yelled at her, "Arrrgghh! I can't take this anymore! Is not even one small word of what I have been saying sinking in? I. Am. Doing. Just. Fine! Do you hear me! I don't want you doing all the paperwork, I don't want tea, I don't want to work out my so-called aggressions, I don't want to hear about your sage wisdom or vast amounts of experience, and I certainly _don't _want to forget about Hinamori!" He stopped. What had he just said? But more importantly, how could he get out of this without any further explanations? He did the only thing he could think of, he panicked.

For her part, Matsumoto sat unable to take a breath and unable to move under the sudden weight of Hitsugaya's powerful spirit pressure. Next her captain spun and flash stepped out of the room, and the reiatsu lifted. When she could take a breath without having to fight for it, she sighed with relief and remarked, "Wow that was some killer reiatsu there!"

Then puffing out her cheeks, she read through the last sheet of the day. If she was going to mess with her captain's snow-capped head, she might as well go the distance and do it right. There was a reason of course. She was going to make him see that there was no 'getting over' Hinamori. Hitsugaya was the type of man that once he gave his heart there was no one else who could replace that love. From day one, there was no hope for him. Poor taicho, having Hyourinmaru as his zanpakutou only reinforced that, as everyone knew that dragons only mated once in a lifetime. Hitsugaya and his dragon were alike in nature as a shinigami and a zanpakutou could get.

She began humming, and signing her name where needed, even as her mind flooded with thoughts.

It was Hinamori for Hitsugaya or he would pine away to nothingness and that was not going to happen to her friend, she was bound and determined it wouldn't! She also knew that Hinamori was up to something, but the side-affects were killing her taicho. It was definitely time for Matsumoto, Advice Sensei to step in.

The hugely endowed woman flipped another errant strand of hair over her shoulder. Not for one second did she believe that Hinamori knew the effects of what she was doing to Hitsugaya. First of all, the girl didn't have one mean bone in her body. Secondly, she couldn't use her feminine wiles to save her life, if it came down to it.

The thing Matsumoto knew for certain was that as much as Hitsugaya needed Hinamori, it was also the other way around; no other man would do for Hinamori other than Hitsugaya. Aizen was only a school-girl's crush and Hinamori would have gotten over that soon enough if given the chance although getting run through the heart sure was a rough way to be rejected. Poor thing. Things sure were in a muddle right now. The ginger-haired woman raised an eyebrow thinking that there should be a way to straighten out this mess. The pucker between her eyebrows straightened and she smiled. On the bright side, how could she make it any worse than it was?

Of course, Matsumoto frowned, tapping the end of the pen against her chin as she thought, was this interfering? Was this butting in on something that wasn't her business? Certainly!

Looking down at the sheet, she noticed that she needed one more signature and she would be done! The tip of Rangiku's tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth while signing her name for what seemed like the billionth time that day. Her wrist hurt, fingers were cramping, her whole arm ached, and Matsumoto was beginning to hate the sight of her own handwriting, but if there was such a thing as earning shinigami gold stars, then, she, Rangiku Matsumoto, had earned more gold stars than Zaraki had bells in his hair, more braids than in Unohana's hair, more tattoos than Renji had on his body. But better than that, she totally freaked out her captain! Let the little genius chew that over!

Matsumoto stretched her arms over head and arched her back and glanced over at the couch like a long lost lover. It was way past her naptime.

**It's DRAGON, Not Draggin'!**

Hitsugaya's flash step ate up the ground leaving an ever growing distance between him and his office as he raced as far away from Matsumoto's words as fast as he could. Unfortunately, no matter how quick he was Toshiro may have left his fukutaicho's presence far behind but her words were embedded in his brain. But what was he really running from? Was it truly his lieutenant's words, or was it the pain within him that was a constant agonizing companion of late? The silver-haired shinigami increased his speed, not that it helped for the turmoil within was a relentless pressure seeking a means of expression for relief. All he knew was the pressing need of _something_, a something that was tearing through him like a storm brewing and sea waves crashing against a rocky shore. The power of this tumult only lent strength to his feet for flash stepping distances he had never tried to achieve before this.

Grinding teeth, Toshiro found it hard to keep his thoughts straight; and being a genius never seemed so lonely or at cross-purposes with what was inside, tormenting him because for all his intelligence it was near impossible to find an answer to this gnawing pain.

It was then then a voice within him interrupted Toshiro's thoughts; a deep inner reverberation that he was intimately acquainted with.

"_Hyourinmaru!"_

"_**Well child, you have handled everything so excellently up to now that I almost hesitate to interject myself into your affairs."**_

This did not bode well for him, Hitsugaya could tell that already, if only by the wry, humorous yet scathing tone beneath the dragon's words. His zanpakutou was much like him, it didn't need much in the way of companionship and most of the time was quite content with any long silences that stretched between the two of them. Yet that tone, the timing, the fact that the ice dragon even felt the need to speak at all was significant and ominous.

Warily he asked, _"What are you talking about?"_

"_**I believe the time has come for me to step in and give you some much needed assistance."**_

"_Stupid dragon, I didn't ask for any help."_

"_**Nevertheless, you are handicapped."**_

"_How so?"_

"_**You are not a dragon."**_

"_Obviously."_

"_**You have come to an age where your heart and mind are split. You are becoming two selves and are covering your true self with many falsehoods. But now that you are not a child anymore I can help you. "**_

"_Wait, what are you talking about, and help me with what exactly?" _ A sense of dread stole over him.

"_**Allay all you fears and rest easy for I shall assist you. I cannot take the risk that another will seize your mate. For you do not know yourself anymore and have become entangled with the logic of lies."**_

"_Mate? Lies? What the hell! Now wait a minute, you have the wrong impression about things! I don't want you to do anything, understand me? I can handle this myself."_

"_**Oh yes. I see that everything is under control and you are even now wooing the object of your heart's desire. Ha!" **_

At the thundering sound of the great snort of contempt went through Hitsugaya's mind and soul, it shook his balance. For the first time in decades, he tripped and ended up rolling and flipping across the ground for some distance before tumbling to a landing face first in the ground. Looking up, he spat out a curse along with a mouthful of dirt. With a rigid expression on his face he slowly stood up and began dusting himself off, disgusted and embarrassed. He was extremely relieved that no one was around to witness his clumsy fall.

Then anger replaced those emotions but reined in his temper, something that he was quite good at, and in his mind stated succinctly, _"So I am not acting like you think I should. What's wrong with that? I am not a zanpakutou and I deal with things differently than you would. Besides, I have a plan."_

"_**And tell me small child, what is this oh so great plan of yours? What has it been up to this point? Not talking? Sulking while taking no action? Suffering in silence? Oh wait; maybe it is the brilliantly dazzlingly convoluted plan of not doing anything at all and not taking action when action is called for? If left up to you, we would be unmated forever. You are inept at this."**_

"_What! Well excuse me if we do things a little differently than you…"_

"_**You are correct in saying that you are different. I have watched, and I have taken note, and have seen how your kind has been created for kinship and companionship. Even dragons feel the need of a mate, although we can live alone for all eternity without a companion. But since bound to you, my strength is yours, and your weakness is mine. And now that we are bonded to one another, our needs are stronger also. I have been around for thousands of years, and if I wait on you to act upon what is truth, I will be waiting thousands of years more than I care to."**_

"_Listen, you are my zanpakutou and I don't…"_

"_**Too late, the merging will take place."**_

With that cryptic sentence, Hyourinmaru was gone leaving Hitsugaya with a feeling of impending doom.

**Bar Stools and Bar Fools**

Hitsugaya always told people (any who were brave enough to ask that is) that drinking was an activity reserved for empty-headed fools. Now here he was sitting on this stool in some dark and dingy bar that he happened to come across in his aimless wandering until it started getting dark.

What was he doing here? He glanced down at a small white cup in front of him. Oddly enough, when he first walked by the place, he was not even thinking about drinking. Yet for some reason, one look at the sign with a busty barmaid carrying a tray laden with many varieties of drinks caused him to think about his lieutenant, which then led him to think about her drinking and how much pleasure she seemed to derive from it.

"She's an idiot." Toshiro muttered softly to himself as he pondered the liquid in the cup. It was nearly full. When it was served to him, he only took one sip from it before setting it back down on the counter. It was ghastly stuff. How could Matsumoto maintain that this was the elixir of the gods? It wasn't giving him the satisfaction she seemed to exhibit from ingesting it. It certainly wasn't helping him figure out why Hyourinmaru felt the need to step into his life and complicate it. Who knew what was going on in that icy brain of his. All he was left with were worries, frustrations, and now, a foul taste in his mouth.

"There you are!"

Startled, Hitsugaya looked over his shoulder to find his assistant captain and two fellow captains, Captains Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku crossing the floor toward him.

"What the hell are you three doing here?" he asked brusquely scowling in their direction. The last thing he wanted right now was company. Was it too much to ask to be left alone for an evening? Yes, apparently it was.

His scowl deepened. "I would rather be alone right now."

Without thinking he snatched up the bottle and poured until the liquid was filled to the brim to look like he had better things to do than frittering away time with them. Presenting an indifferent attitude and a forbidding scowl were his best defenses to being plagued with people's trivial problems and insufferable chitchat. It usually worked quite well, on everyone that is except Matsumoto and naturally, his fellow captains.

To prove that he was indeed preoccupied he grabbed the sake bottle and upended it into his mouth. His scheme of dissuading the trio from approaching him backfired by his inability to breathe. What was in this stuff, acid?

"There, there taicho, you shouldn't have done that." The busty shinigami pounded on his back and strangely enough it was helping by shocking his lungs into breathing again. "You aren't used to drinking you know and the fumes alone could've killed you. You're one lucky taicho!"

Toshiro would have begged to differ but he was still too busy sucking in much needed air at the moment to disagree.

"Well, well, if I had known you were so gung-ho to celebrate I would have brought my party hat," remarked Kyoraku with a knowing smile and a nudge of the elbow to Hitsugaya's side.

Hitsugaya snapped out, trying for a chilling tone except that it came out all raspy, "I don't recall inviting any of you."

"Really Hitsugaya, you need to be careful with that stuff, it could stunt your growth you know," said Ukitake with concern, and then with eyebrows lifting, "Aren't you too young to be drinking?"

'I don't drink," seethed the white haired captain of the Tenth despite the irrefutable truth in front of him, "never have, never will. And furthermore I am not stunted!"

The two captains and one lieutenant exchanged looks.

"I saw that! And I don't. And I'm not!"

Just then the bartender set another full bottle of sake next to Hitsugaya's cup and whisked the empty bottle away.

Kyoraku reached for the new bottle saying, "I'd better taste this to make sure it is up to snuff. This bar doesn't look very reputable. Who knows what you have been paying for?" With that, the wearer of pink women's gowns swallowed the whole content in what looked like one gulp.

"HEY! You could have at least let me have a swallow!" insisted an indignant Matsumoto with hands on hips.

"Oh no my dear, in our efforts to save our dear friend and fellow captain, I made a command decision to sacrifice myself." He pursed his lips for a second, "Hmmm, not a bad brew that week."

"Fat lot you know! I am _so _totally willing to sacrifice myself for the sake of my little taicho."

Seeing the glower her silver-haired captain was directing at her, she revised quickly, "Who is not so little anymore! He has grown out of three," she held up three fingers to emphasize her statement, "shihakushous just this last season!"

"You're keeping _track _of my clothes and size changes!?" snarled a glowering Hitsugaya.

"Ah ha! I thought you looked taller at the last meeting!" Kyoraku enthused and slapped Hitsugaya on the back causing his chest to slam against the bar. The captain of the Tenth rubbed his aching ribs. He could live without all this affability and camaraderie.

"Shunsui," Ukitake chided his friend, "I told you several times before that Toshiro is hitting his growth stride. If he wasn't all hunched over like that you would be able to see that he is about foot taller than last year!" Ukitake frowned at his friend and then sighed, "Well never mind, that's not important. Let's keep in mind what we are doing here."

"Getting drunk with Toshiro!" exclaimed Kyoraku and plunked himself down on the stool next to Hitsugaya and began waving to catch the eye of the bartender who was at the other end serving a group of ragged men.

"Now you're talking! Move over!" Matsumoto didn't so much as ask as wiggled between her captain and the captain of the Eighth to appropriate Kyoraku's stool. Kyoraku graciously made room away for the voluptuous assistant captain by scooting over one.

"Friends don't let friends get drunk alone!" shouted Matsumoto as she stabbed the air with her arm, alongside Kyoraku's even though the bartender was heading in their direction with a couple of bottles.

"You're preaching to the choir sister!" And both shinigami wore expressions of delight when the bottles were placed in front of them along with the tiny sipping cups. Both also wore identical expressions of disdain at the cups that for them was more of a drinking hindrance than anything else.

"AH now there, my dear Matsumoto, is the divine elixir of life!"

Ukitake just shook his head at his fellow shinigami's laissez-faire attitude toward life. Maybe that is how they coped but he is slightly irked that both had so quickly forgotten their errand. As it didn't look like he was going to get much help from that quarter so he turned back to Hitsugaya who, uncharacteristically, had snatched a larger glass tumbler and poured the contents of the bottle into it. Stepping around to the shorter captain's other side, he watched with growing disbelief as the Tenth's captain brought the glass up to his mouth and started guzzling it. Leaping forward, Ukitake grabbed it away from the Hitsugaya.

Eyebrows shot up as he exclaimed, "Toshiro! I thought you didn't like liquor!"

The white-haired captain of the Tenth couldn't help but let out a weary sigh. Because they both had 'Shiro' in their names, Jushiro had an inexplicable fondness for the shorter captain and was always trying to ply him with food. "I don't, but now my mouth is numb and I can't taste anything. In fact," he looked at the tumbler in Ukitake's hand with some surprise, "It doesn't taste strong at all now. It doesn't taste like anything."

"That does it, you're coming with me." Ukitake set the tumbler down on the bar with a thud and pushed it and the empty bottle away from the younger captain.

Hitsugaya peered suspiciously at his fellow captain. "Why?"

"Because this isn't you and…" Ukitake stopped and bent down so he could see Hitsugaya's eyes, "No use talking sense to you right now, I know that look. I've seen it hundreds of times from him!" He speared a disapproving glare at his oldest friend who was laughing at something Matsumoto was saying.

Seeing Ukitake staring over his shoulder, Hitsugaya tried to turn but forgot in his growing inebriated state that bar stools could spin. And twirl it did with the result the ice-wielding shinigami was about to spin off of his seat until Ukitake took pity on him and stopped him. "Steady there."

"Say Jushiro, aren't you going to join us?" asked the Eighth captain as he looked up from under the brim of his hat at his longhaired friend with a wide grin.

Ukitake shook his head. Already he was out too late and the night air was bad for his lungs. In his soothing voice, he said, "I need to get someone home."

"Who?" chorused questioning three voices.

Ukitake's eyebrows shot up, but not because of two, but that Toshiro had asked as well. Heaving a sigh, the tuberculosis-sufferer rolled his eyes to the ceiling, feeling like a ringmaster at the clown ranch.

"Okay, you two go on having a good time, and I will see our friend home."

"Which friend?" again the three voices chimed in on the question.

Ukitake lifted a palm to his brow in exasperation. Who appointed him the designated driver? With another heartfelt sigh, the long-haired man merely placed a hand under Hitsugaya's arm to help him keep his balance as he slid off the stool. The shorter captain would have kept sliding down all the way down until he hit the floor except for the hand holding Toshiro up while also keeping him from losing his balance.

"Captain Hitsugaya, I believe there is some kind of problem at your company that needs your urgent business." That would do the trick and sure enough, Ukitake was pleased to note, the customary frown appeared on Hitsugaya's face.

"Well, we ssshooood go and sheal, seal, uh, an' deal, wesh it zhen, Ukisa… Ushi. Whaas yur name?" Hitsugaya stopped, perplexed by his inability to make all his words coherent.

Then he hiccupped. Surprised by the noise Hitsugaya looked around as if trying to locate the source of the sound. Then it happened again. This time he heard it coming from his mouth and bright aqua eyes went cross-eyed while trying to peer down his nose to find the source, something he was finding impossible to do. Irritated with his lack of success Hitsugaya decided it was best to just ignore the problem and pretend it wasn't happening.

_Well, the drink is kicking in now but he still has some wits about him, _thought Ukitake as he watched the younger captain standing stiff and rigid now, overcompensating for the imbalance he was feeling at the moment.

"I am taking you home," the longhaired man stated firmly and pulled the shorter man behind him.

As he helped the hiccupping captain to the door, the grey-haired older man realized once again how tall Hitsugaya was as a result of the last growth spurt.

"He's definitely a young man now," Ukitake mused to himself, "but still one who needs some guidance and a role model, even if he won't admit it. And as fond as I am of Matsumoto, I don't think she will fit the bill." He sighed softly, wincing when an unusually noxious burp erupted out of Hitsugaya.

Usually he didn't like intruding in on someone's private life, but this was one of those few times he felt there was no other alternative but to step in. Toshiro needed some advice about how to go about wooing a woman, especially one that was acting like she didn't want to have anything to do with him. Now was the time to have a heart-to-heart chat.

Hitsugaya burped again and stumbled over the threshold. Ukitake kept a firm grasp on the young captain's bicep which was the only thing keeping him upright.

Ukitake didn't look back at the two drinking buddies knowing they would be fine in even if they were on the rough side of town. After all, this is what they did for a hobby. He felt sorry for anyone who would try to interrupt their pursuit of their idea of a good time.

With care he directed the smaller captain. Once out the door he took note of the nip in the night air and decided to flash step them to the Tenth. He just hoped that if Hitsugaya were feeling queasy to his stomach he would at least wait until they arrived at his quarters.

**Doesn't Anyone Sleep (At Night) Anymore? (1st Movement)**

**(Allegro giocoso)**

"There, finished! Now all I have to do is reread it," spoke Momo as she signed her name with a flourish at the end of the memoir of her days as Aizen's vice-captain.

She flipped the volume over and marveled at the size. Who knew she could find so many memories to write down. Running a finger over the kanji for Aizen's name, she wondered what caused him to change from a well-liked and respected captain to Soul Society's worst betrayer. Then shaking off the gloomy mood that was threatening to descend, she turned to the first page and started to read.

It was several hours later and fully dark when she looked up thinking she heard a sound. Looking around she didn't see anything and started reading again until a loud banging rattled her door.

"I know you are in there! Open up before I "Haineko" this door to ribbons!"

Ah, it was Rangiku and in such a patient mood too.

Momo didn't even have time to give her permission to enter when, a blade pierced through the lock, and then Rangiku slammed open the door before stepping into the room. The door was so forcefully shoved that it hit the end of the track and bounced halfway back. The lieutenant of the Tenth ignored the door until Momo pointed behind her as the cold night air was blowing through. Already Momo could see that the door wasn't going to close all the way as the door was broken where Rangiku pierced through the lock and handle.

Without looking behind her, Matsumoto didn't so much enter the room as swirled in on a storm of turbulent reiatsu announcing, "I am a woman on a mission and no paltry piece of wood is going to stop me!"

Well, it was only a door, right? With a deep sigh and ignoring the damage (for now) Momo stood up and while moving toward the kitchen, welcomed her guest, "Hello Rangiku, how are you tonight?" I mean, what choice did she have at this point?

"Had to come and see my good buddy, my bestest frien' n nuh whole wide world!" Enthused the busty lieutenant, and with a toss of her long hair sheathed Haineko.

Momo raised an eyebrow, since when did Rangiku become motivated enough to use Haineko as a house key to someone else's house? Then her other brow lifted at Rangiku's remark for although they weren't the closest of friends she knew the ginger-haired woman was not one that let her spirit pressure flare up dramatically, or recklessly wave her soul cutter about like this. She also knew that if there was going to be drama in a situation then Rangiku wanted to be the one instigating it, not the one who was in the middle of it.

Momo lifted her nose and sniffed. Oh! So that was why. Now that the full-figured woman was in the room Momo could smell the stink of alcohol wafting off her in waves.

"Would you like some green tea Rangiku?"

"Tea? TEA! Can't you see how upset I AM? I need something stronger than tea."

"You are right, my mistake," although she disagreed and thought a nice calming cup of tea would do the woman some good, Momo wasn't about to disagree with her guest. So instead, she squatted down, reached under a cabinet and began rifling through her bottles. She wasn't worried about Rangiku getting alcohol poisoning since it was commonly known fact that after a certain point of drunkenness the woman seemed impervious to the stuff.

"It was here a couple of years ago," muttered the dark-haired girl as she was swallowed up into the cupboard, searching in the back. The clink of bottles could be heard as she moved them around.

Matsumoto came to stand next to the shorter girl but was soon leaning down and then hovering right over Hinamori's shoulder trying to peer into the cabinet with her.

"There!" she pointed and stabbing through and getting a lock of Momo's hair wrapped around her finger as she spied the bottle they were both looking for.

Momo ignored the near scalping as the hair was already coming loose from the bun anyway, besides since it was late evening she didn't planning on going anywhere. Grabbing the bottle she stood with a smile and shook it at the Tenth's assistant captain. "There seems to be plenty. I'll get you a cup…"

"Don't bother," replied Rangiku, as she snatched the bottle from the smaller woman's hand, "This should do it for me, what are you going to drink?"

Momo stared at her empty hand, dazed for a second by the speed with which the top-heavy woman had snatched the drink from her. "Er, well, I guess I will go ahead and make some tea then."

"Good call."

After filling up the teapot and setting it on a medium flame, she and Rangiku went to sit down at the small table by the window of the kitchenette.

"So, Rangiku, uhm, why are you here at this time of night?"

Matsumoto looked out the window, "Oh, so it is, but then I never pay attention to these kinds of things when there is something of utmost importance that I need to talk you about."

She took deep swallow from the bottle, placed her hand on Momo's forearm, and then leaned in close. "It's really important that I talk to you about the important thing which is very important. You're not going to believe this. It's like major! You know, this important thing that I need to talk to you about."

Momo lifted the cup she had made a little earlier but since it was cold now she didn't drink it. She was only using it to hide the grin behind her cup before replying, "I gather it must be pretty important then. Are you being sent on a mission?"

"No," said Matsumoto as she impatiently brushed back hair from her face, was Momo being clueless on purpose or was she really this naïve?

"Is Hitsugaya kun being sent on a dangerous mission?" Momo asked, sitting up straight, suddenly tense.

"No," the ginger-haired woman replied and then frowned slightly, "It does have something to do with him though."

She frowned deeper while tapping a fingernail on the table top, "What was it? I knew it just a second ago."

"You are not in trouble for anything are you?"

Flapping her hand dismissively she replied, "Oh all the time, but that's not it either." Now she lowered her eyes to the tapping finger, frowning more while deep in thought."

Momo's heart gave a lurch, "Is Hitsugaya kun in trouble?" she asked, and held her breath.

"Aha! I just remembered!" the older woman cried and stood up to point an arm with accusing finger only an inch from Momo's nose.

Her eyes, caramel in the low lighting went cross-eyed as she tried to focus on the tip of Matsumoto's finger. "YOU! You are the problem!" And that was all she said as she collapsed back on her chair, crossed her arms on the table as a pillow for her head.

It took a moment for Momo to recover from the accusation. "Me? I'm the problem? Problem, what problem am I the cause of?"

Then she heard the Rangiku's soft purring snores and stared at her sleeping friend. _Should I wake her up or should I throw a blanket over her? _Momo was indecisive about what action to take when she heard a light tap. Turning she saw Nanao studying the door with an appraising expression as she gave it a hard shove to get it to move open. Following on her heels was Captain Kyoraku.

Stepping around Nanao he crossed the room to where Rangiku was sleeping, mouth open and emitting little sighs and the same cute purring snores.

Seeing Momo's puzzled expression, Nanao explained, since it didn't look her captain was going to, "Sorry to intrude upon your evening lieutenant Hinamori, but the captain here refused to go home," here she shot him an irked look, "until he made sure that Matsumoto was also safely home."

"Yes, it has been the practice of one of her drinking friends that one of us will see her home afterwards since…"

"Since Ichimaru defected," finished Momo as she looked down at her friend, sorrow showing in her eyes. Was there no end to the depth and width of the pain caused by those three when they betrayed their fellow shinigami? Some were more wounded than others and she was reminded once again that she was not the only one who had been hurt. Poor Rangiku, poor Izuru, and poor Toshiro.

"Yes," whispered Shunsui. He bent and gently lifted the slumbering woman in his arms. Then turning to his assistant captain, he nodded and they started for the door but paused when they reached it. With a poignant smile he said, "Sorry about your interrupted evening, Momo-chan." And then both disappeared into the night.

What? Why were people starting to call her by a pet name when she couldn't remember being called that for decades upon decades? She reached up to scratch her head but couldn't make sense of it.

Deciding to think about it another time, Momo carried the bottle and cup to the sink just as the teakettle began to whistle. She was ready for a nice calming cup of tea. Opening the cabinet door above her she found her tea tin and began scooping the required amount for a one-cup serving. Feeling a bitter draft gust over her, she frowned and made a mental note to have someone in to fix her door first thing in the morning.

It was then she felt his reiatsu.

* * *

(Allegro: rapid tempo; giocoso: humorously)

Well, well, who could that be?

Yes, those who have so patiently waited, there is a Hitsu/Hina moment next chapter.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate it. (humble bow) m(-_-)m


	6. When Knowing is Not Enough

I would like to thank my friends, MillyT and Aine of Knockaine for flexing their mighty beta muscles on this work.

Disclaimer: Bleach, not mine; I'm very sad_._

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Doesn't Anyone Sleep (At Night) Anymore? (Second Movement)**

**(adagio / tenuto / diminuendo)**

It was then she felt his familiar reiatsu, but then at the same time, there was a difference to it, but whatever or whoever it was, it was close. Without warning, it was behind her. Alarmed, she spun in place to find Toshiro standing in the doorway staring at her with a piercing gaze that was so intent on her that her hand went to her throat, though why, she couldn't have said. Then her attention was caught by the fact that he wasn't wearing his captain's cloak. It was odd to see him that way because Toshiro was almost obsessive about wearing it.

Then the atmosphere thickened and if she were not a ranked officer there was no possible way she could have stood up under the gathering pressure. As it was, her legs trembled with effort and it was a struggle to keep her head and shoulders from drooping.

Amazed and a little uneasy, she tilted her head to the side puzzled at this mystery before her. Then she noted a host of expressions crossing his features, craving, desperation, love, misery, devotion and a yearning so deep it shook her to the core of her being. All artifices were laid aside for this brief moment in time, and so revealing was the emotion etched there that not for one second could she fool herself into thinking that Captain Hitsugaya of the Tenth didn't care for her.

Confusing her though, was the fact that it wasn't the romantic moment that she had always pictured in her mind. Nor was it the idealized moment she had often read about. This was totally different. The obvious difference was the predatory gleam in Hitsugaya's eyes which made her feel more like cornered prey then a love interest. The naked honesty of the depth and intensity of those emotions, plus the spirit pressure enveloping her testified to the truth. And while one's reiatsu could be hidden and dampened, what it could not do, was lie.

This was the first time Toshiro laid bare all the passion and love he held for her. Momo could hardly take a breath. All this was for her? One hand slowly lowered to her chest and she clutched the material of her uniform in a fierce grip as if needing some other tangible feeling to keep her from being snatched up and lost. This was her Shiro-chan but then again not. What was going on?

As uncertain and uneasy as Hinamori was, she couldn't take her eyes off of the resolute set of his shoulders, the slight hunch of this body as if the tension was a coiled spring waiting for release, all this and more was as if some compelling force was beckoning her to move toward him. So much so that she locked shaking legs firmly in place to keep from moving for some other part of her brain was screaming at her to run even as she yearned to move toward him.

Then, as if he too were under the influence of some unknown force, he moved toward her, one slow step at a time. It was only as he closed the gap between them that she saw the physical effect of the strangeness in his behavior: His eyes! They weren't aqua anymore but a bright silvery-white! Her own widened in astonishment as her breath locked in her throat.

Momo tried to turn in the opposite direction but found she could not. Again she looked up to search his eyes and to her surprise, found that he was within mere feet of her. Those bizarre glowing orbs were fixed on hers and it was then she felt it, a vibrating sense in her soul and mind, a voice like distant thunder demanding something from her but she couldn't understand the meaning. All she could do was to stare helplessly back at him, caught in those strange silvery eyes.

How much time, if any, passed, she could not say. Only when Toshiro was standing right in front of her lightly stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers did Momo become aware of her surroundings and give a small gasp. For with that touch her immediate world became even more surreal. Her childhood friend stepped in close enough that she could smell the sharp, crisp tang of a winter's day, the fresh scent of snow-tinged wind sweeping over icy mountain crags. This was Shiro-chan but something more than just him in a way that she could not define.

She frowned, trying to unravel the tangled knot of the problem. Yes, it was Shiro-chan, yet not. But how? Why? And more specifically, who? Or maybe it was some kind of hollowification? That was a scary thought.

Momo noticed, with a start, that she was looking straight into his uncanny eyes. Another odd thing: he had grown! Now Shiro-chan was not only as tall as she was, but a smidgen taller! Then she became aware of his gaze which was lowered into a half-lidded look that was making her heart race and her cheeks warm. Her own light brown eyes were being mesmerized by the conflicting messages she was seeing: tenderness and merciless longing, gentle warmth and granite resolve. All of it made her dizzy with confusion.

With nothing to point to that could confirm or deny her sense, all she could go on was a strange feeling building within her racing heart. This man (and when had this happened? Only as recently as yesterday he was merely Shiro-chan) before her wanted it all, wanted all of her, heart, soul, body, and mind. And in return would surrender all to her. It was frightening her but mysteriously and strangely, in a way that in turn was calling her to him, and causing to awaken unknown impulses and cravings. Momo was beginning to feel unnerved and exposed. It was like playing a card game where the opponent knew what all the facedown cards were while she was playing blindfolded. Despite a curious and yearning to be stay enveloped in this mystery the lieutenant of the Fifth was tired of feeling out of control and weak.

Momo planted her feet firmly and narrowed toffee-colored eyes at this stranger in the shape of her friend. This male wanted it all? He wanted all of her? Welling up within was a shy uncertainly as to what this all meant, but what she could figure out was that she had secrets tucked away in her soul and had no intentions of yielding them up, not without a fight anyway. If she understood nothing else of what was going on, the petite shinigami knew then that her plans were in peril.

Then it hit her, 'the plan'! _Oh no you don't! _Nothing could be allowed jeopardize the plan, not even Weird-acting Shiro-chan!Her eyes lowered and under her lashes she considered escape routes.

Seeing the abrupt and rapid change of expression flashing across her face, the silver-eyed Toshiro immediately sensed her purpose. Not about to let his quarry elude this moment, he made a move too quick to follow.

The next thing Momo knew, a strong arm encircled her slender waist to draw her close before she could make a move to flee. Flush against the toned muscles of his chest, Momo instinctively grabbed his sides to shove him away but forgot all intentions of doing so as soon as she felt him tense up at her touch. Surprised, she paused to look up and in that moment became aware of the wiry frame of his torso and how it tapered into trim, lean hips under her hands.

Feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks she wondered: Wasn't it only yesterday that he had been yelling at her and insulting her? Wasn't it only yesterday that he had been promoted to a captain, and wasn't it only a breath ago when he had graduated top of his class at the Academy? This was no longer the small boy she had protected and nurtured once upon a time. This was a young man and not the child she remembered.

With that realization, she had a powerful urge to let her fingers begin searching and discovering this new Hitsugaya until catching herself, mortified by her reaction; Momo snatched curious hands back from the temptation. She was already sure that her face was a flaming red. Where were these thoughts coming from? Don't touch the sides then, she scolded herself and slid her hands to the front, which also turned out to be a mistake. The flat, hard muscles of his abdomen also tensed under her moving fingers and he emitted a sharp but soft grunt and his breath skated delicately over her flaming cheeks.

Glancing up, she was, again, immediately caught and mesmerized by his eyes. She returned his alien gaze hardly daring to breath. He bent his head to lean in a little closer and then that one rebellious forelock of his whisked against her cheek sending a little shiver down her spine. This was getting too intense for her!

Momo twisted a bit trying to find an avenue of escape but Toshiro's firm grip was unbreakable. Trying a new tactic she raised her arms to place her palms on his chest, and blushed again at the warmth and scent of him radiating from his skin. Lifting her gaze again, she decided to scold him since it used to work so well in the past, even if his response was one where he merely rolled his eyes or reply with some sarcastic comment.

"Now Shiro-chan, whatever is going on, this is not the time for it. Let me go and then I'll make some tea and you can tell me all about your day." _And while you're at it, how about we chat a bit about the whole metal eye look you're flaunting!_

She smiled hoping that the fake stretching of lips was convincing enough as she looked up into those alien eyes without pupil or iris. Although they appeared blank she could see through them dimly as if a filmy-gauze covering his normal eye color. Not sure if she was imaging it or not, it appeared to her as if there was some kind of ancient intelligence and depth lurking behind the translucent silver that regarded her with an arrogance that far exceeded even Shiro's own icy exterior.

Momo frowned as she studied it, a little annoyed because it was like trying to look through a frosted window to the outside. Everything was blurry until one cleared a space to look through and that was precisely what she wanted to do, take a hand and wipe away the frost to see what was underneath. Then maybe she could get a clear view of who it was underneath those shining orbs because she had her doubts that it was only Shiro-chan looking out at her.

Watching the female frown at him as she reflected on the puzzle of the eyes, a slow cocky smirk spread across the shinigami male's lips, shocking Hinamori speechless as he spoke in a unearthly bass rumble that was definitely unlike the Shiro-chan she knew.

"We protect and claim that which is ours."

Momo was startled, dumbfounded, and utterly taken off guard.

"Ours?" She murmured as the vibrations traveled and tingled through her bones from the bottom of her feet clear up to her skull. There were so many questions that could be asked at a time like this but all she could think of was "Huh?" as she dumbly stared at his mouth.

Reaching up a hand, Toshiro slowly, sensuously, let the tips of his fingers lightly skim over her face, starting at the temple and slowly tracing a path down her cheek to rest at the corner of her mouth. There they paused before one index finger started tracing the outline of her lips, so slowly it was exquisitely pleasurable. She couldn't breathe and when his head began descending she was sure her heart would stop.

His warm, sweet breath fanned lightly against the skin of her face before his lips touched hers tenderly. Soft, they molded hers to his while a shock of pleasure shot from her mouth to every nerve of her body. She would have gasped but his lips were locked on hers and were now pressing insistently over them. The hand he used to stroke her face, reached behind to firmly cup the back of her head to keep her from moving away, although at the moment that was the last thought in Momo's mind.

Momo had never been kissed like this in her life! (Aside from a few amateurish pecks between school friends here and there.) Knowing Hitsugaya as well as she did Momo was fairly certain that he had never kissed anyone before either. However, this Toshiro was a surprisingly fast learner. Leisurely forming his lips to hers, he shifted slightly now and then to try a different angle. The bun-wearing female stopped trying to wiggle away and instead found herself yielding and slowly melding into him, succumbing to the sensation of warmth flooding over her. This Toshiro was alien to her but she couldn't deny that she was beginning to enjoy and respond to the heat radiating from the union of their lips. Despite the pleasure, a small niggling worry was making itself known. This could lead somewhere she wasn't ready to go. Hinamori may be inexperienced but she wasn't stupid!

Using the tip of his tongue, the silver-eyed Toshiro ever so lightly touched her lips before sliding along the rosy curve. Out of habit, she started to say, 'what' but an opening was obviously what he was seeking. As a flush raced through her, Momo began fighting back; tongue engaged in a fierce battle of dominance that in short succession, he won. She could feel his pleased smirk against her lips.

Just before the need for air surpassed this new delicious feeling, Toshiro lifted his head, separating their lips. Momo opened her eyes (when had they shut?) and stared at him dreamily until her head began to clear. Wait, wasn't there a question she wanted to ask? Her brow furrowed in thought, trying to recall. What was it? Eyes, Yes, that was it! She wanted to ask about his eyes.

The befuddled assistant captain of the Fifth, tried to take a step back so she could ask him, but he kept her firmly in place, not allowing her to move.

"Toshiro, would you mind…" She didn't finish her question because right at that moment Toshiro's head fell heavily onto her shoulder and his hold around her waist fell away while the weight of his body sagged against her.

"Oooof!" That was all she managed to say, as the captain's greater weight caused her to stagger backwards. He was going down fast and taking her with him! At first, she wondered if she had killed him, but since he was still breathing that couldn't be the reason. But great flaming reiatsu he was heavier than he looked!

Trying to hold him up and twist midair so she could break their fall was not working. But before she fell any further, arms magically appeared to catch her, halting the fall midway before placing her back on her feet while someone else lifted Toshiro's body off of her.

Immediately upon being righted, she saw Captain Ukitake and one of his faithful third seats, Sentaro. The third seat was standing next to his captain with an unconscious Hitsugaya slung over his shoulder and gave her jaunty wave.

Momo glanced behind her to find Kiyone, and in a winded voice said, "Thank you, that would have been a hard landing."

"Not a problem," the blonde woman replied but a grin on her face and a certain look in her eye let Momo know right away that this night would not be forgotten any time soon. Great, just what she needed were all sorts of sordid rumors flying around the Seireitei about her and Shiro-chan when she was trying so hard to present the appearance of someone still recovering from their wounds and emotional trauma! Now she wasn't going to be known merely as that nutcase Hinamori, but as that "_free-with-her-favors"_ nutcase Hinamori. Wonderful.

"Ah think nothing of it Miss," chimed in Sentaro and Momo looked over at him, "Captain Ukitake asked for our help and I would do anything for my captain whom I have undying respect for!"

"Hey! No fair Sentaro!" yelled Kiyone. Unfortunately, this was right in Momo's ear, causing her to flinch even as the shorter woman leaned around Momo and insistently said, "Captain, I respect you even more than that!"

Knowing where this was all headed, Ukitake frowned at his subordinates and said firmly, "Sentaro, I want you to take Captain Hitsugaya back to his quarters. When you are there, put him on his bed carefully. I don't want you just dumping him like you did Kiyone the other night. Then find a bucket or pail and put it near him. If he does regain consciousness tonight, he may need it." Turning to Kiyone he ordered, "Go get someone to get that door and lock fixed."

Once both were off to carry out their orders, Ukitake turned to face Momo who was now tired, stressed, confused, and hadn't even had her relaxing nighttime tea yet! So many thoughts were whirling around in her head that she didn't know which one to ask first. Finally, a smaller, less significant one popped to the surface and she decided to start with it first.

Bowing slightly to the Thirteenth's captain, she asked, "Ukitake taicho, did you use some kind of kido that only captains are taught?"

The longhaired man smiled remembering that the Captain-General had once used that same technique on Momo back when she was so emotionally traumatized and scarred and worried about Aizen even though he had recently tried to kill her. She pleaded with Hitsugaya through the viewing screen, insisting that Aizen was innocent. That was when the Captain of the First covered her eyes with his hand and out she went, slumped over unconscious in the assistant captain's arms.

"You are right, I used it but the reason it worked was because he was so distracted that I was able to sneak up on him."

Ukitake smiled with amusement, teasing but not in a mean way, "Yes, thank you Hinamori because of you he was thoroughly distracted. And, while I don't like to brag, I am quite experienced in handling drunks, after all, my closest friend is an enthusiastic drinker."

Momo turned that over in her head, drinking? Toshiro had been out drinking? No, she couldn't have heard that right. Maybe the captain meant the others were out drinking and Toshiro was merely with them. Yes, that is what he must have meant and then dismissed the matter from her mind.

Since Momo could not be accused of being a bad hostess, she politely motioned with her arm toward the table, asking, "May I offer you a cup of tea? It will warm you up before you leave." Besides that, she had a ton of questions ready to tumble off her lips and she wanted some answers!

The longhaired man nodded with a smile, "Yes, I do believe I will. Thank you."

With that he followed Momo over to the table where she gestured politely for him to take a seat before returning to the teakettle. The water was already cooling so she dumped it out and put new water in and then set it on the burner to boil.

Returning to her chair, her eyes darted around the room. She couldn't bring herself to look Ukitake in the eye, sure that she would melt through the floor from humiliation as images of earlier flashed through her mind. Yet, there were questions she would like answered. In the end, it was Ukitake who broke the uncomfortable silence.

"I owe you an apology Hinamori fukutaicho."

"You do?" blurted out Hinamori, her eyes snapping back to the older captain's face with a stunned expression.

He scratched behind his head sheepishly. "It's like this; Hitsugaya was out drinking earlier…"

"He was?" Her jaw dropped. But Shiro-chan didn't drink! He had very adamant opinions on the subject too! Not in her wildest imagination could she picture him even trying a drink, let alone getting drink.

"Yes, he did, and not being used to it, he was pretty wasted when I got him home. I," he held up a fist and coughed into it and Hinamori half-sprang from her seat ready to race for a cloth for him, well aware of his physical ailment as most soul reapers were. He waved for her to sit back down, embarrassed that his cough of awkwardness was misunderstood as his lung condition acting up.

His cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he continued with his earlier train of thought. "Well, it's like this, er, I got him home and kept him talking while plying him with coffee and water." His eyes shifted to the table, to the floor, up to Hinamori, then down to the table again.

"Seeing that a _certain _subject was causing him a great deal of distress, I proceeded to give him some pointers about women and how to court them, and oh, maybe something in there about" he lowered his voice at this point and Momo had to lean in order to hear him, "well uh, that women liked it when a man was persistent, and oh, that women also liked it when a man knew his own mind, at least at first… but I think my mistake was giving him these pointers while he wasn't quite in his right mind. I have never seen a reaction like his before. It really was quite… unique."

With an embarrassed laugh, Ukitake laughed while rubbing the back of his head self-consciously.

"Yep, those raging hormones, the stress of thinking you hated him, and now this bitter black hatred he has for Aizen, then he hasn't been sleeping or eating very well of late. It has all caught up with him I think."

Then he cast his eyes to the side for a few seconds before looking back up at Hinamori.

Momo hardly noticed his pause for she was blinking back tears. _Poor Toshiro!_ She didn't know that he was so affected by her announcement that she couldn't be his friend anymore. That stinker! After all this time letting her think that she was being a bother to him and then when she did come to visit him, making it seem like she was such a burden. She narrowed her eyes; he was _**so**_ going to get an earful when all was said and done!

Wait a minute though, 'women liked a man who was forceful'? Pointers? What? Momo's frowned and her eyes darkened in anger. Pointers, her sweet zanpakutou!

"Then, I er…" Interrupted from her thoughts, Momo looked up and saw that the older man looked apprehensive.

"Again I apologize Hinamori, as I thought talking to him about the… ". He took a breath and went on in a rush "uh, you know… uh.. birds and bees, young people in love, and also, maybe let slip," he finished in a burst, "thatyouwereinlovewithhim."

Being as old as he was, Ukitake rarely made interpersonal mistakes like this. On top of that was his vast experience dealing with all the different sorts of odd people that made up the Soul Society and then to make such a blunder in this area was immensely embarrassing to him. He gave a small ill-at-ease laugh that was more exhaled air than anything else.

Hinamori stared at him.

She shook her head for a second before it hit her like a konso to the forehead and shrieked out, "_**You told **_him that I was _**in love**_with him!" and raised hands to dig curled fingers into her cheeks as hazel eyes went wide with horror. This was going to ruin everything!

The next instant Momo was on her feet yelling, "You have to fix this! Everything will be ruined!"

She flung out an arm pointing in the general direction of the Tenth Company's living quarters.

"You march right back over there and straighten him out! I cannot have him around me just now! I've got plans!"

She was panting from shouting so quickly and at the top of her lungs. Again, a konso moment hit her. Horrified, Momo clapped her hands over her mouth and her eyes went round. Great bankai-ing zanpakutou! She, Momo Hinamori, vice-captain of the Fifth, had just screamed at a captain! No, had screamed and ORDERED a captain around like he was her assistant!

The teakettle whistled and grateful for the reprieve she raced to take it from the burner. With shaking hands Momo took down a cup even though hers from earlier was already on the counter by the stove. Vigilantly measuring tea for him, the agitated fukutaicho put it in the tiny strainer and poured the steaming water over it. Soon the steeping of the tea brought a delicious aroma to her nostrils and she slowly sighed in contentment, relaxing for a moment.

Setting the cups on a tray she carried it back the few steps to the table and served him. The Fifth's lieutenant sat down keeping her eyes on the cup in front of her. She needed to gather what little remained of her wits.

"Hinamori chan, just what plans are you referring to that would be upset by having Toshiro hanging around you?"

Why did captains have to be so dang sneaky and so dang smart! It really was a royal pain!

With no time to gather her thoughts, Momo looked up Ukitake and gave him the sweetest smile she could manage, "Plans? Did I say plans?"

He nodded, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I meant '_plants_'. He will ruin my _plants _with frost, you know, what with all that _'Reign Over the Frosted Heavens'_ crap going on I'll never be able to get anything to grow." She laughed weakly at her joke, and then her eyes flew up to his _Oh crap! _She had just said 'oh crap' in front of a captain! She never cussed in front of captains before this night, nor screamed at them, but then she had never kissed a captain before either. What a wonderful time to be experiencing a night of 'firsts'. She snuck a peek at his face. Was he buying this?

"Alright Hinamori, I see that you are keeping something hidden since it is past the time of planting by several months."

Nope, not at all.

He eyed her with such a serious expression on his face that she was sure that next he would accuse her of being the Black Cat… except that he didn't know that was the name she made up for herself so actually, he would probably just call her a thief. Yes, and not only a common thief but also a 'captain kisser'! Could she even be arrested for being a captain kisser? Without realizing it, Momo began chewing the tip of her thumbnail.

Ukitake watched her worrying the end of the nail for a moment before saying with a sigh, "I will let you keep your secret as long as it doesn't hurt the Soul Society and,"

The chestnut-haired girl was sure he was going to say 'and doesn't hurt Hitsugaya', but he surprised her.

"And also see that it doesn't bring any harm back on you."

Momo did her very best to present an unassuming, blank smile. Not really sure how one looked, she gave it her best try because that last condition of his was not a promise she was certain that she could keep.

Ukitake eyed the assistant captain over the rim of his cup as he took a delicate sip. Beyond doubt the petite shinigami female was up to something, but it couldn't be anything dangerous or too serious as that would be out of character for Hinamori. He studied her face, the flushed cheeks, eyes darting around trying not to look at him. He set the cup down on the table with a decisive thud indicating that he was finished and ready to leave.

"Well, I need to get back as I am going to spend the night at Toshiro's and make sure that he doesn't get any more strange ideas about wandering around the Seireitei sweeping up young maidens and kissing the breath out of them."

With that he stood up and gave a bow that was more polite than warranted a captain to an assistant captain. He felt she deserved it.

"Ha ha, kiss the breath out of them, yes that's what happened! Very amusing that was!" Momo stuttered to a halt as the sound of her babbling became apparent to her then blushed so hard that she was sure her bun would pop off from the pressure.

"I, I wasn't, I didn't try to..." she tried to explain.

"It's okay. I know you too well to know that you are not a wanton lady of the night," he said, amused by her reaction.

Yes, the bun was definitely in trouble from the blood rushing to her face. Then she remembered, and really, how could she have forgotten, what with a million shinigami traipsing through her house?

Snapping her head up, she asked, "What about his eyes? What caused that?"

"Eyes?" He frowned in response, puzzled.

"Yes!" Hinamori stood up because this wasn't the kind of news she could give while sitting calmly. With waving hands and wide gestures, she told him the whole story up until he arrived.

Ukitake just stared at her open-mouthed not knowing what to say. Hitsugaya with silver eyes, what was up with that?

Just then a swoosh noise was heard at the door and turning, both shinigami saw Captain Unohana studying the door as she entered the room. Momo noticed that the Fourth's healer was wearing her captain's cloak and wondered briefly if the woman ever slept, in fact, now she glanced over at Ukitake, it seemed captains never slept at all. Was this one more annoying fact she would have to add to the growing list of infuriating things about captains that only they could do, things that drove her nuts!

Nevertheless, the Fifth's assistant captain gave her superior a polite bow and asked, "Would you care for some tea Unohana taicho?"

With a serenity that was the trademark of this particular shinigami captain, she replied, "No Hinamori, I am here on business. I felt something very," she stopped, tilted her head slightly as if trying to find the correct word, "odd in the air." It was then at Momo noticed that she had her zanpakutou, Minazuki, with her.

"How did you feel it Retsu? I deduced he was here when he slipped out while my back was turned, and only felt it a little when I arrived as he was cloaking himself quite well."

Unohana shot the frail captain a knowing glance, then smiled, "I have my little ways Jushiro. Now where is the captain of the Tenth, I need to examine him and take him back to the infirmary, especially if I am right in my suspicions about what has happened." She scanned the room, "Although I don't sense the reiatsu anymore." She gave her fellow captain an inquiring look.

"I had Sentaro take him back to his quarters."

Then, Momo saw his face change for a brief second before settling into a serious expression.

An eyebrow shot up as he remarked, "Interesting." The longhaired captain's face was solemn, brows pulled low in thought, before looking back up to the healer's large grave eyes.

"Do you think..." Started Ukitake before being interrupted.

"I know." She stated firmly, readjusting and tightening her grip on Minazuki.

"I don't think it's as bad as that time though."

"Let us hope not. As you know, that time we were unable to pull him back from the brink."

During this time, Momo's head was snapping back and forth between the two captains, wondering what was going on and what they were talking about.

"What's wrong? What about Toshiro?"

Both captains seemed startled when they turned to look at Hinamori who stood watching them with clutched hands raised to her chest as eyes darted back and forth between the two captains. Not waiting for an answer since they both were taking their time, she blurted out, "This is about his silver eyes, isn't it?"

Unohana shot Ukitake a reproachful look and in defense he replied, "I was getting to that, but I didn't know about it until Hinamori just now informed me."

At this, Unohana turned her gaze back to Momo and suddenly the younger shinigami shifted uneasily. However, at the kindness and compassion she saw there Momo felt reassured and told her the story she had told the Thirteenth's captain.

After hearing the whole thing, Unohana immediately swung back to Ukitake and asked, "Where did you say you had him taken and are you sure he is there?"

"Why yes, that's where I requested he be put."

Ukitake tilted his head, and then said, as a slight frown formed on his brow. "I was just leaving to return to spend the night there in case he took it into his head to go wandering around in his state. Although," he quickly added holding up his palms in a placating motion at seeing the thunder gathering on Unohana's face, "I swear Retsu, I didn't know about the eyes. If I had, you know I would have brought him to you straightaway, don't you?"

Still frowning, but now in thought, the healer merely nodded. Then looking up, she stated firmly, "He must be brought to the infirmary. I do not mind admitting that his condition has me worried."

Momo was practically beside herself now. "What! What! What is happening to Toshiro?"

Both captains silently stared at each other, considering. Finally, Unohana spoke, if somewhat reluctantly, "This rarely happens, but there have been cases of it through the centuries."

She hesitated and then went on, "It is not usually spoken about but sometimes when a captain has a very powerful zanpakutou such as Hitsugaya's…." she trailed off.

Momo was ready crawl out of her skin she was so tense. Why was Unohana hesitating? "What?! What?!" The anticipation was killing her!

"When a captain's heart is so at war within him it can cause a great imbalance between soul and mind which in turn affects the zanpakutou. You know that our katanas are not just metal, but living creatures from our souls to merge with the ancient zanpakutou beings and therefore their personalities match with their corresponding shinigami. Sometimes, subconsciously, when the pressure between head and heart is at an impasse, then the zanpakutou might align with one or the other imbalances to the degree that their thoughts merge with it rather than the whole of the shinigami. The wielder is unaware of it as it is happening. This new form will decide what is best for the wielder and take charge of mind and body. The beginning merger stages are not that dangerous to either of them, it is the stage where the two bond so completely that they cannot be separated without harm to either one. So, knowing what I do about Captain Hitsugaya, I am concerned for him."

Unohana stopped to search Momo's face. The younger shinigami was on tenterhooks already and the healer kept stopping!

However, upon seeming to find something in Hinamori's face that satisfied her, she went on, "I would not be telling you this except for the fact that I believe you are the trigger that set this imbalance off in him."

Momo was aghast. "NO! I didn't mean to, I didn't know!" Tears gathered at the edge of her eyes. "What is going to happen to him? He's not going to die is he?" Her hands now twisted her uniform into a wrinkled mass as her hands tightly clenched the fabric.

For the first time, the healer of the Fourth smiled kindly at Momo. "Of course you did not mean for this to happen. The fact is, love and desire do happen and who knows how it is going to affect any certain person…"

Momo was convinced she was going to faint from all the blushing, surely this couldn't be good for her heart.

"That and the fact Hitsugaya's zanpakutou is one of the oldest and most powerful ones known, and also they are in sync in a way I have not seen in quite some time. Along with other factors, I have quietly been monitoring Hitsugaya's change from boy to man and believe that it has set off a sympathetic response in Hyourinmaru. We really don't know how the maturation process will affect his zanpakutou as most soul reapers are much older and miss this process altogether. The usual custom has the bonding between the two happen after puberty when the shinigami in question is more adult than child." Here Unohana stopped to look straight at Hinamori, eyes weighing, searching for something.

_Probably trying to gauge my reaction to what comes next. I will not overreact; I will not overreact_, thought Momo steeling herself for bad news.

"The zanpakutou has added his power and strength to that which is already consuming Hitsugaya during this turbulent time of change. He is becoming another creature altogether."

"I don't think change is the word you are looking for," interjected Ukitake, "More like this whole set of circumstances has conspired to… "The longhaired captain stopped, casting a glance at Momo and then back to Unohana.

Momo frowned, wishing they would stop halting in their explanations; it was starting to drive her nuts. However, it did mean that this kind of information that shinigami of non-captain ranks were usually privy to. _What is it that they don't want to tell me? Obviously they wouldn't if they didn't have to, but I seem to be right in the middle of it all._

The braided woman sighed, "Yes, but whatever the reason I believe that Hyourinmaru is on the ascendancy over Hitsugaya. He could be the one in control tonight with Hitsugaya's logical part of himself in a semi-aware state or even totally ignorant of what is going on as this transbio-spiritual integration takes place. I must add that in normal circumstances Hyourinmaru would never try to accomplish what I think he is trying to do. At this point, the state of the soul reaper's mind and soul is blending with that of their zanpakutou. Hyourinmaru is throwing his power, strength, and will into helping Hitsugaya attain to what he most desires. The problem is, it could also just as easily irrevocably damage Hitsugaya."

_Wonderful_, thought Hinamori, _from the sounds of it, I kissed a lovesick zanpakutou, or I am the reason why my best friend is turning into a dragon! Wait. What did she say? _

"So, what do we need to do? And are Toshiro and Hyourinmaru in at that danger point yet?" Demanded Momo.

"Yes, they could, but at the moment it is hard to say. We need to stop it from advancing to the state where the sympathetic bond between the two of them can fuse them both into one being. Usually the soul reaper has a very clear idea of their identity and there is no problem in keeping the two separate."

Momo nodded. Of course she knew that much. She was the wielder of Tobiume, but not once had she been under the illusion that they were one and the same. She rubbed her eyes, overwhelmed by the information.

She glanced at Ukitake who was had grasped his chin between a forefinger and thumb, with the elbow resting in the palm of his other hand. His gaze was on the floor and the healer knew he was lost in old memories.

Unohana looked back to Hinamori who was starting to look dazed. She gave her a small reassuring smile and then said, "Like I mentioned before, the problem is that when a full merger takes place. The end result of such a union will be a shinigami-zanpakutou crossbreed. There have been times when we have had to deal with the first stages of this happening, because if this rare event should happen, we usually can catch it early on. And fortunately the process can be reversed. Only once in soul reaper history did it go to the final stages where a crossbreed was created. The end result was a mass of insanity that lashed out at everyone."

Her eyes dipped to the floor before looking up at Hinamori with profound sorrow. "It had to be killed and we lost a fine shinigami and zanpakutou."

Momo's hands flew to her mouth in horror. The tears already on edge spilled out the sides of her eyes to trickle down her cheeks but she was unaware of them.

"Can we save him? What must we do? How can I help?" She choked out, eyes fixed on Unohana.

"First we need to ascertain where he is in the process. What makes it easy is that a zanpakutou's true self cannot thrive in this plane of existence for very long. This realm is not their home. To interact here, it is totally dependent on their wielder. There is a way we can deal with the problem and that is to isolate the affected shinigami behind a kido barrier. Then, under careful observation, the reiatsu is drained to very low levels under controlled circumstances with healers in attendance. Once that is accomplished then the balance between the two can be restored. After that, with patience, counseling exercises, therapy, and some cautions, the zanpakutou can be retrained along with the shinigami. They can then go back to leading a normal life."

There was so much to think about. Momo caught the nervous habit of clutching her hands over her breast when she was uncertain or troubled, and instead, shifted her arms into crossing in front of her and hoped neither captain had seen her anxious reaction.

But looking up, she saw both Ukitake and Unohana turning to study the door so Momo also looked in that direction. At that moment, vice-captain Isane Kotetsu appeared in the doorway looking disheveled and slightly winded.

"We couldn't find him captain! The Secret Remote Squad report that they cannot find him either," she panted out and then waited for instructions.

Unohana and Ukitake turned to each other and frowned at the information. The Secret Remote Squad should have been able to find Hitsugaya at his quarters since he couldn't hide his spiritual pressure while unconscious.

Momo covered her mouth, knowing this was bad news, but not really knowing that she didn't truly comprehend what was going on.

Noticing the younger shinigami's rising panic, Unohana went to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We will find him and help him. If he returns here, raise your reiatsu in a burst. I will have someone from the night shift keep watch while the rest of us look for him. Do not worry; for once we find him we can reverse this process quite easily. The problem in the past has been that once the merging begins, one of the first symptoms is that the captain tends to become very paranoid and tries to avoid his fellow captains."

Momo then voiced what everyone was thinking, "Toshiro is a genius and very gifted. He won't be easy to catch."

Of all times for this to be happening, why did it have to happen now? After all she had endured and worked for, he just had to go and mess up her well-laid plans. Darn that Shiro-chan! This was so like him to pull a stunt like this. The sensible and reasoning side of her kicked in and disagreed telling her that no, it was not like him at all. He never messed things up. He was the one who didn't get into trouble of his own making and when anything happened, he kept a level head and solved the problem. He was the one who helped her out of awkward situations.

With a bowed head in contemplation, Momo finally admitted it to herself. She loved the silver-haired captain and had for a very long time but had been too blinded by her misplaced 'love' for Aizen and then, too scared to admit it to herself for whatever reasons. She knew now that the 'love' she had for Aizen was hero worship, admiration, but most of all it was safe because some instinctual part of her knew that he would never be able to return it.

The Fourth's captain turned to her vice-captain and said, "Wake the Captain-General. If there are any objections, tell them it is on my authority. Inform the First of everything that has happened and wait for instructions. I will join the search shortly."

Isane nodded and in a wink she was out the door racing across Seireitei to carry out her orders.

Momo straightened her shoulders and frowned in determination, now was not the time to be indulging in self-pity. She was needed to help Shiro-chan and that was exactly what she was going to do.

"What we need to be concerned about is Hitsugaya taicho finding a way to Hueco Mundo to challenge Aizen to another battle," mused Ukitake, chin in hand and brows furrowed.

Momo's widened in shock and she gasped out, _"What!?" _Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse.

Unohana, moved back closer to the other two shinigami, and looking straight in Hinamori's worried eyes, said, "Along with a rising paranoia, the crossbreeds tend to be aggressively combative which in turn urges them to go in search of those they consider enemies and eradicate them. We have all seen how Hitsugaya has always been protective of you and now it will rise to a hyper state."

She held up a hand to forestall the younger shinigami woman when Hinamori tried to protest. "It is a known fact, please accept the truth, as it will make it easier to progress from here if you do."

She waited until the Hinamori gave her a curt nod of the head, even if younger woman was still confused and lost by this evenings events and all this new information. "Now, how he will try to get there, we are not sure, but he will try, that is a given."

Ukitake spoke up, "We must inform Captain-General and Soi Fon to increase the security around the gate. We mustn't let him get through; it would be a death sentence."

He sighed, "If only we could cause Aizen's focus to turn elsewhere for a while. It would not only give us the much needed time to prepare for the upcoming war, but with his attention off the Soul Society for a time, he might not notice when someone has come through the gate, nor a small retrieval squad."

Then squaring his shoulders he added, "However, the most important thing right now is to find Hitsugaya before he can do any of that." He then eyed the younger shinigami, "Although Unohana, he might try to come back here to protect her or even try to hide her away some place he feels is safe."

Momo's mind was spinning, trying to find and hold onto the most important part of that statement. She reminded herself that it wasn't about her this was about Shiro-chan and getting him help.

She held up a timid finger, "How long does this whole process take? Uhm, before he merges into this crossbreed with Hyourinmaru if that is what is happening?"

Unohana shook her head causing the long braid in front to slightly swing to and fro, "We are not certain. We have only had one case that made it that far, but it also took place over a period of time and it was also the very first time it happened. We did not know what was going on or how to deal with it at the time."

Momo narrowed her eyes thinking. There was time then, but not a lot. If she continued with her plans, then not only would the Soul Society have the extra time they needed in order to prepare, but also if Hitsugaya did manage to get through the gate, then that would give the retrieval squads a chance to recover him before Aizen became aware of his presence.

Toshiro was going to attack Aizen. Of all the things she had been told, that was the one that was stuck in her brain, that and the image of Aizen running Toshiro through and leaving him to bleed out on the ground. Of course, she had been unconscious herself at the time, but Hinamori did not lack for imagination. Momo clenched her fists, hiding them in the folds of her hakama and vowed that not only couldn't that happen, but it mustn't happen, not again. Then she came to a decision. She would leave tomorrow night using the day to catch up on her sleep. Everything she needed was packed, and her outfit was ready. Yes, tomorrow night would be a good time to… But right then her thoughts were interrupted by Ukitake's voice.

"Hinamori you will need to stay here because we want to make sure that you stay safe, I will post some of my men around your quarters tonight." He turned to his fellow captain and said, "Unohana, maybe you can spare a medic to stay here in case Hitsugaya does try to come back. It would be best to be prepared."

Unohana nodded before turning and moving toward the door, "I will send someone when the searchers return." With that, she was gone in a flash in the way of captains.

After that, an older, gray-haired man came to the door with a toolbox in his hand. Instead of greeting them first, he examined the door, making little tut-tutting sounds as he ran his hand over the broken wood frame. Momo almost felt embarrassed when he lifted rheumy brown eyes to hers. Not asking or saying a word, he merely shook his head back and forth as if to make a silent comment about 'youth these days'.

"Do you want me to stay until someone comes?" asked Ukitake, the kindness evident in his eyes.

Momo shook her head. What was she going to do? Then remembering that he was a captain, she looked up at him and replied, "No, thank you Ukitake taicho, it sounds like there will be a score of people coming and going around my home for quite a while and I would appreciate some time alone to think about tonight. It has been quite a shock."

"I am sorry you had to find out this way, but we will find him and help him." He stated firmly while giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "In the meantime, if for any reason you need me; do not hesitate to send for me." He gave her his serious captain look, "Do not come yourself, remember that. Send someone else."

"Why? He wouldn't hurt me would he?" Asked Momo puzzled.

"Noooo, not really," Ukitake suddenly seemed very nervous and uncomfortable but Momo couldn't figure out why. "Well never mind that" the captain of the Thirteenth waved a hand of negation making Momo wonder even more about what he was _not_ trying to say, "just please do as I ask and don't make me make it an order, understand?"

"Yes sir!" Momo responded automatically.

"Good," he replied, and then with a weary smile that told Momo how tired he was, that she immediately felt remorse for his being kept up this late, even if a few of the events weren't of her own making, she reminded herself.

Ukitake stopped by the door to greet the taciturn repairman and to let him know where to send the bill for the repairs.

Ukitake took his leave and shunpo'd back to his company. What a lousy night this had been. The young man was head over heels in love with his childhood friend and his childhood friend was in love with him. Boys were supposed to grow up into men, not dragon-like zanpakutou. He shook his head, why did it have to be so complicated with young people these days?

* * *

Thanks for reading. *nods*

-_Dwellin_

adagio - slower

tenuto - give the note extra emphasis, holding it to its full value

diminuendo - gradually softer


	7. TwoHeaded Arrow

These two amazing, wonderful people have my glowing thanks: millythompson and Aine of Knockaine who are the two best betas ever! I couldn't have posted this without their gracious help! HUGS to you both!

Disclaimer: Yeah it's mine, I own it, I own everything! Buwhaaa haaa haaa haaa! (For the hopelessly anal who won't be satisfied until I say this: Of course I don't own Bleach, never did, never will. Bleach belongs to the awesome Tite Kubo.)

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**A Two-Headed Arrow**

**And Sleep Issues**

Wind rushed over limbs created for this very thing, flight. Cutting through the upper thermals, swooping down, rolling, sharp drops, and leveling back into place came to him as effortlessly as a wink of the eye.

Air currents filled his massive wings, again lifting him higher as the wind rushed past his face. As he glided from one updraft to the other, predator eyes scanned the area below for the one he was searching for even though he was out of range. Her territory lay behind him. With a digrunteled "whuff' of snorted air and a great bunching of muscles exerting deep strokes of sparkling frosted wings to take him even higher into the blue dome of the sky. At this level the air was thinning to the point that even the great dragon was having trouble breathing. Pivoting on a sharp iced wingtip, he swung back toward the mountain range she made her home. Slowly, gracefully, he coasted lower and lower as he drew closer.

There! His prey was in sight! Where there was a break in the clouds, he spied the one he was hunting. Tilting wings a bit allowed his long, scaled bulk to drop quickly and then, when near enough, with a great bugle of challenge, he folded his wings and dropped like a stone.

Below him, she had heard the roar and craned her long, sinewy neck over her winged shoulder but was unable to spot him. Instinctively the diminutive female realized some great presence was dropping down on her from out of the sun and hurriedly beat the air with her own powerful strokes, her own wing membranes stretched to their fullest to rake great scoops of air as she sought to escape.

The next thing she knew a great weight barreled into her and she barely had a chance to squeak in alarm as thick, powerful legs snapped around her, trapping her wings next to her body. Even though she struggled, there was no escape from the muscular limbs that held her captive.

As they both began to plummet, a long, sinuous neck twisted around her own even as a thicker, longer tail wrapped around her thrashing tail. Slowly, even as they plunged down, the male secured his grasp around her, bringing her struggles to an end.

Their rapid plunge toward the ground was slowed little by little as the male exerted the power of the sinews and muscles of his shoulders until the giant wings pumped at the air with great, steady beats.

The leather membranes stretched wide to catch the drafts of air; exerting the bunching muscles and cords of his shoulders as he pumped at the air with great, steady beats. Little by little their rapid plunge to the ground was halted until he was able to bring them into a smooth glide. They were still dropping but already his catlike eyes caught sight of the place where he intended to land and began making the subtle adjustments necessary for the landing. Slowly, with grace and precision, the male carefully landed the two entwined dragons on a ledge that led into the mouth of a immense cave.

Once they were settled, the larger, male dragon lifted his head and from his massive jaws trumpeted a great roar of triumph. Then lowering muzzle he peered down into his intended mate's large, dark eyes which were glittering in challenge, but that was as it should be.

Carefully, the great dragon extended sharp talons from his paws and hooked them into her scaled hide to keep her from escaping although there was no chance of that; he was thoroughly wrapped around her. This lovely she draykhona was his and again he lifted up his muzzle to the sky and uttered a exultant deep trumpet sounding his conquest. In her lighter reply came the confirmation that the smaller female was his and his alone! Now they would be mates for life.

He brought his head down, opened his mouth to show rows of white, razor-sharp teeth and gently took hold of the back of her neck. With care, but firmness, he gave her neck a little shake and then waited for her response. At first it came as complaining growls, and a few bucks and twists to detach his grip, but then after issuing a few irritated grumbles she finally relaxed under his greater strength. With a contented noise not unlike a purr, he placed his scaly cheek next to hers and rubbed. When she finally responded with her own purr and began rubbing back, he felt a warmth start in his belly and spread like wildfire through his veins. His eyelids lowered as he uttered a crooning sound that deepened when she turned and gave him an affectionate nip on the cheek and cuddled up next to him.

…..

The scene changed, from a cold cavern to his living quarters. Hearing a soft sound behind him, the lean form of the young captain turned and saw….

…..Surprise register in Hinamori's eyes as she turned and caught sight of him. He moved toward her, driven by a wanting and hunger heretofore unknown to him. All his senses were focused on the petite woman in front of him and urged on by that inner craving, he drifted slowly closer until he was right in front of her. Her eyes were still wide and her lips slightly parted. At the sight he wanted nothing more than to take hold of her and pull her to him.

Hinamori was saying something but he couldn't hear her words, the world was strangely silent but he wasn't bothered by it. His gaze did not move from her face, so enrapt was he by the sight. Slowly Hitsugaya reached up and touched skin velvety soft under his fingers. Gliding them slowly down her face, he watched entranced as a blush rose to her cheeks. Guided by a feeling he did not understand but wasn't about to fight, he lowered his face until his breath fanned gently across her face and then he closed his eyes and dipped in capturing her mouth with his.

It was an unexpected shock as an powerful rush of bliss shot through him at the union of their lips. Her soft, pliant ones were setting off little pleasurable shockwaves from his mouth to every nerve of his body to return and start a growing warmth in his center. Heat spread through and in such intense waves he thought he could pass out from the sensation. Without being aware of it, his hands went to her tiny waist, sliding down to where the flare of her slender hips started and with keen eagerness, he pulled her smaller form against his. Stiff at first, she slowly melted into him as his mouth worked against hers, his tongue darting against her silky lips until she parted the perfect soft petals under his. Raising a hand to her thick chestnut hair, he caressed it before digging fingers into the silken tresses as they slid over his sensitive skin . In desperate want, he clasped her closer, and heard the muffled sound of her surprise against his mouth. Immediately he chased the sound until he won the battle for dominion. Finally he…..

**Even the Birds of the Air Have Nests**

_Wha…. ?" _Hitsugaya thought as he was awakened by a moan that tore him away from a gloriously troubling dream. Begrudgingly, he allowed consciousness to ascend but, perversely and stubbornly kept his eyes shut even as he became aware of a throbbing pain between his temples. Slumber fled under the assault of the pounding ache stabbing from the top of his skull and radiating down his spine. It beat like a hundred drums with each pulse of his heart. He made a silent vow to never ever touch alcohol again. Stupid Matsumoto, why would she ever want to do this to herself over and over again? Kurosaki was right, she needed help, but knowing her as he did, Hitsugaya didn't believe for one minute that Twelve Steps was going to be enough for her, but maybe twenty-four or even thirty-six might do the trick.

Waiting, and fervently hoping that the ache would fade, it dawned on him that in addition to the pain he was also feeling somewhat chilly. Without opening his eyes he reached down to grope around for the blanket that must have fallen off during the night. A deep frown formed when questing fingers were unable to locate it. There was no way that the pounding behind throbbing eyeballs would relent soon. He did not want to open up eyes for this, really he didn't. All he desired with every aching pulse of his head was for that same pounding to stop. Hoping against hope, if only he could fall back asleep the maybe the headache would fade by the time morning rolled around.

"Damnit!" He muttered quietly as his questing fingers told him that he was still wearing his shihakusho from the night before. He hated sleeping in his clothes. Now his brand new soul reaper uniform would be wrinkled and it was the only one that fit him after the last growth spurt. All the old ones hanging in the closet were too small and looked ridiculous on him nowadays. Well, it couldn't be helped; an old one would have to do for today. Maybe if he stayed in the office behind the desk all day no one would notice that his uniform was too short in the arms and legs. With a huff of irritated breath that sent another wave of pain screaming along every neural pathway in his head, Hitsugaya decided he would send Matsumoto to get new shihakusho cleaned and also put in a requisition to have a couple of spares made.

Just then a shiver shot through him from head to toe and again he patted around for the missing blanket. Slowly, through sleep-clogged thoughts, he realized the only thing to do was open his eyes and look for the blasted thing. This was not going to be pretty. With reluctance and agony which had him gritting his teeth against the pain, the Tenth's captain propped himself up on an elbow and forced one eyelid to open a mere slit, but upon doing so, all thoughts about his blanket were completely forgotten.

The wall of his bedroom looked suspiciously like stone. He stared at it blankly for a moment wondering if what he was seeing was actually there, and if it was, then why in the hell was he seeing it? Ignoring the pain lancing through his skull, Hitsugaya reached out a hand and ran fingertips over the rough surface. The wall didn't merely look like stone; it was stone.

Instantly the snow-haired captain was on his feet and except for a painful hiss escaping through his teeth, ignored the throbbing in his head as he took in the surroundings. No wonder his bedroom wall looked like the side of a cave. It was a cave.

"This better not be some kind of joke," he seethed through clenched teeth, but even as he said it, knew that it wasn't. Without success, he tried to picture one of his fellow captains going to such lengths to play a practical joke on him. Those who thought this kind of stunt amusing knew better than to carry it out. For an excess of ice without end would be in that particular prankster's immediate future! No, he knew it wasn't a practical joke, but if it wasn't then what was it?

He took a few wobbly steps toward the opening of the cave careful not to jostle his aching skull any more than necessary. Raising a hand, he carefully held it over one eye while squinting out of the other. The light at the entrance of the cave was so intense it felt like a knife stabbing straight through the front part of his brain to the back of his skull before bouncing around inside.

When Hitusgaya finally reached the opening, with one hand still covering an eye and the other braced against the side of the cave, he was forced to narrow the open eye against the dazzling brightness of the day.

_What the…! _

Toshiro Hitsugaya went wide-eyed with shock. He was standing at the entrance of a cave located on a tall mountain covered in snow and ice. The hand covering his other eye dropped away, forgotten as he scanned about him, turning first one way and then the other, stunned at what he was seeing. He was on a mountain, and the cave he was currently standing at the mouth of, was positioned on what looked to be one of the tallest out of the ones surrounding it. Off to the right was a ridge of smaller mountains that decreased in size to hills until they leveled out to a snow-covered plain. To his left were more steep ridges made of sharp jagged teeth. He didn't have a clue as to his whereabouts, but no doubt about it, he was up someplace very high and definitely remote.

"How," he started to say but ended up grabbing his throat. It was sore as if he had been gargling razors blades the night before. Now that it was called to his attention, exactly what _had _he been doing last night? Coughing and sputtering, he also noticed how sharply cold the thin air was making it hard to catch a breath.

When the coughing fit finally subsided, Hitsugaya leaned his back against the cave wall, worn out from the unexpected spasm. Despite the chill in the air, Hitsugaya felt perspiration forming along his hairline and droplets trickle down the middle of his back. Deeply disturbed by the present circumstances, he leaned over, resting palms on his thighs to give his mind a moment to process. It was then that he noticed his captain's cloak was missing. Forgetting the throat pain, he growled, "This is too much!" as sharp blue-green eyes darted about the floor of the cave in search for the missing cloak.

So angry now his reiatsu flared making the loose stones in the cave tremble and rock to and fro. The release of power also flushed away any residue trace of pain. With a clear mind now, the aqua-eyed youth glared about him looking for some clue, some hint as to who could have done this to him. Dropping him on the doorstep of unending sky was one thing, but taking the emblem of his office, let alone touching it, well someone was going to pay! And payback was going to be cold, very, very cold.

"**Do not seek to blame another. You took your captain's cloak off yourself last night and threw it over the back of a chair."**

Hitsugaya's snorted in disbelief. First of all, he would never treat his haori in such a manner and second of all, if he did, it wouldn't be something he was likely to forget.

"**Do you even remember **_**any **_**of what happened last night?" **

Ignoring the dragon's sly tone, narrow white brows nearly touched as the youth frowned and tried to recall the events of the night before. The last clear memory he had was of Matsumoto coming through the door of that bar with two of his fellow captains. Pretty much everything else after that was a blur. Suddenly he remembered scenes from his dream and blushed even as one side of his mouth twitched up in a half smile. Too bad it wasn't real. He let the whole kiss scene play out in his mind even if it were somewhat foggy. He hoped someday he could kiss her just like in that dream.

"**Of course you kissed her like that and will again. But first the nest must be…."**

"Wait! Huh? Wha… What did you say?" interrupted a very confused soul reaper captain. Pushing off from the wall and eyes narrowing, he asked, "What did you mean by 'kissing her again'"?

"**I repeat, you will be kissing her again when we are ready to bring her to our nest. Once that is done…."**

"Go back to the kiss part! I don't want to hear about caves and nests! "But then frowning fiercely he reconsidered, this could be important too. "Wait, we'll come back to that after we discuss last night."

"**I will clear the membrane from your foggy thoughts."**

It was like having a handful of snow lobbed into one's face, and the result was immediate. The Tenth's captain sank down on his haunches and grabbed a fistful of hair on either side of his head and squeezed tightly.

"No, no, no, no, no, no…this can't be happening!"

Yet, by the looks of things it already had. He was a dead man! Or worse, Hinamori would hate him forever; he just knew it!

_Wait a minute_, he thought, _it wasn't me!_ _It was Hyourinmaru!_

Unfortunately that thought didn't bring the relief he hoped it would, instead he was immediately flooded with jealousy and a very powerful urge to punch Hyourinmaru right in his body-stealing snout.

"What did you do to me? And _why _are you doing this? What must Hinamori think? I planted, no wait, _you _planted one on her without even asking her permission!"

Then he groaned as the thoughts swiftly leapt about, pulling scattered pieces of facts and information into a conclusion. Since it was obvious that he wasn't in his quarters, then it wouldn't be long before they would start looking for him and not be able to find him. "They will think I am a traitor like Aizen," he muttered to himself, fuming.

"**NO! Never like Aizen! In time they will know that you are as true as the deep ice. For now they will look for you but not find you. I have hidden us well. We will sneak back and then bear away our mate to this lair when the nest is made ready."**

"WHAT THE HELL!" roared Hitsugaya, surging to his feet, fists clenched at his sides. "What are you talking about?"

"**Our mate. . . ."**

"NO! There is no 'our' about this whole thing! This doesn't concern you at all! Do you understand me?"

"**I understand the words, but I only heed the words of my master."**

"I am your master!"

"**No. You speak with two voices now, and I cannot serve two masters. I listen only to the true heart of Hitsugaya."**

"What?" Two masters, two voices, what was the ancient zanpakutou nattering on about?

"**I heed the voice of the heart of Hitsugaya."**

"You heed ME!" he roared.

The deep rumble replied**, "I do, when you are one. Your heart speaks truth while the mind of Hitsugaya speaks lies. You believe that the only path to follow is that of duty. Duty must come from something deep and true, it is not the foundation of truth. The so-called truths in Hitsugaya's mind are merely the dying leaves of autumn! I chose a master that does not lie; therefore I do not heed the voice of the one who has begun to live by words of cracked ice."**

To say that Hitsugaya was astounded was an understatement, but he was also becoming more incensed by the minute. Furthermore, it was dawning on him that this wasn't a situation where his power of reasoning or use of intimidating aura would bring about the desired result.

If what his zanpakutou was saying was the truth, and indeed, the ice dragon didn't have a deceptive scale on his body, he wouldn't have much if any control over his zanpakutou. So rocked was the young shinigami that he staggered back to slump against the wall behind him . Also, although Hitsugaya didn't want to admit it, Hyourinmaru was right about his being of two minds, but this _shouldn't _be a problem. It happened to everyone! When faced with a dilemma, everyone weighed the options, pro and con, before making decisions, right?

That was the crux of the problem. His forehead creased in thought, as he recalled that this wasn't an altogether unheard of situation. He recalled from the time of his captain-training that this wasn't a totally unheard of situation and that it didn't bode well for either zanpakutou or shinigami.

"Hyourinmaru, if you continue this course you will put us both in danger," he pointed out in what he hoped was a calm, reasonable voice. He used the truth. For one could no more lie to their zanpakutou than they could lie to a part of their soul. He remembered the stories about the shinigami and zanpakutou of the past and really did not want to have to go through years of therapy under Unohana's watchful eye. Always so compassionate and kind, blast her! Worse than that, however, was if the bond between shinigami and zanpakutou was permanently severed. That was worse than an outcome worse than death!

"Listen to me! You don't want that to happen if you continue on this course of action!"

A chuckle that sounded as if it were released from the depths of a subterranean tunnel, echoing off the stone walls until it slowly rolled away, fading like thunder in the distance.

"**What a low opinion of my intelligence you have, Toshiro. Because I exist not as you do, you think me a simple idiot? I know what you know. Indeed, did it not occur to you that I was in existence when the first shinigami and zanpakutou went awry and became something they should not? Now, the heart of Hitsugaya and I have work to do so you must sleep now."**

Now Hitsugaya was worried. He could hear the inflexible iron beneath the words of his ghost cutter. Fleetingly he entertained the idea of escape, but there wasn't anywhere for him to go.

"**Sleep now. Do not worry; I will keep watch over you."**

For the first time since making captain, Toshiro felt like a helpless child again and how he hated that feeling!

"No! I am not going to sleep! And even though I am a master of an ice zanpakutou I am not impervious to the effects of hypothermia. And maybe you haven't noticed since it's your element, but it's damn cold in here!"

"**Hitsugaya will be kept safe from the elements. This I swear. Now rest."**

"How many times do I have to tell you that I am…."

A surge of lethargy swept over him, making the youth sway even though his back was resting against the side of the cave. But he was determined that he would not succumb!

"I have to get back… I have to explain to Hinamori… I…." On that note, he crumpled over but was caught before hitting the floor. A bluish light was next to him, a twin blue shape of the Hyourinmaru's physical form materialized, and this ghostly twin held Hitsugaya in his translucent arms. Lifting the slumbering captain, the transparent human-looking dragon carried him toward the back with almost maternal tenderness. Upon reaching the rear of the cave, Hitsugaya was carefully lowered to the floor.

In one last attempt to stay conscious, he mumbled groggily, "Not… sleepy… Don't… need… nest…."

Rising, the blue ghostly form raised an arm and reiatsu beams of power flashed out from it in straight lines. Then the end of each line began spreading out until the ray's end widened to the point they merged together and enveloped the whole area of the cave in a blue light. At that point, the transparent form of Hyrourinmaru vanished.

The light kept glowing however, and had he been awake, Toshiro would have noticed the radiance was warming the area surrounding him. The walls looked like they were melting as if they were mere clay being manipulated by a giant hand. Soon a circle of curving stone rose up from the ground on all sides of him. Once that was finished the light faded and what remained of the work was a bowl-shaped nest. B ut for the time being he was unconscious and oblivious to it all.

"**You need rest before the next step. Sleep well Hitsugaya."**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOOOOOO **

**Even a Wannabe Action Hero Needs Sleep**

Hinamori was one frayed nerve shy of snapping into a raving loon. This is what came of not getting any sleep the night before. Thankfully, Hanataro showed up only minutes earlier with a sleeping draught from Captain Unohana to help soothe strung-out nerves. (How did the she know? But then Momo decided she didn't care.)

All night long visitors came tramping in and out through her place, some with messages, reports, or came to investigate the scene as if a murder had taken place there. There was no sleeping through any of that. So now she sat with drooping eyes as the sun rose, and currently the rising sun was well above the horizon.

All Momo wanted right then was to get some rest if she was going to put her plan into operation come nightfall, but too many cups of tea and coffee, asking questions, and answering questions that were a bit invasive for her comfort, had left her with a jittery sensation and an upset stomach. She swirled the dregs of the medicine in bottom of the tea cup and already she could feel it starting to kick in and was grateful.

When lifting hazel eyes from her cup, it took her a full moment in time before realizing she was staring at a female shinigami across the table from her.

"Hello, is someone in there?"

Startled, Hinamori came back her senses only to find Rukia waving a hand in front of her face. She jerked back and blinked at Rukia who, in Momo's opinion, was displaying entirely too much zest for the morning.

"Geez, you look wasted!"

Dully Momo answered, "I had a rather eventful and bizarre night."

"What happened?" Rukia swept her gaze across the room, "I mean, from the receding reiatsu anyone can tell that some kind of activity went on last night."

At the question, Momo groaned and dropped her head and rested a cheek on the table. She was so tired that the hard wood actually felt comfortable.

"That bad was it? Well I did hear that Hitsugaya taicho was here. What I am feeling must be the residue from his spiritual pressure but it feels a little odd. What happened?"

Instead of answering, Momo reached up and pulled the tie from the cloth that held her bun in place. Only there wasn't much of a bun left as so many strands had escaped throughout the course of the night.

Out of the blue, Momo asked, "So, which of the two are you in love with?"

There was a silence before Rukia coolly responded, "That's kind of personal don't you think?"

"Says she who wants to know about me and Hitsugaya-kun."

"Well! I see what happens when you don't get enough sleep."

With her head still down and now with eyes drifting closed, she asked, "Rukia are you or are you not in love with Ichigo Kurosaki?"

There was the sound of air being sucked in before it came exploding out, "Why do you want to know? It's, . . . it's not any of your business!"

"You are right, it isn't and normally I wouldn't intrude." She sighed deeply, "But right now I am too numb and too tired to be polite. Renji is my friend and he loves you and you treat him like he is only a bothersome little brother."

Now the silence stretched for so long that Momo thought maybe Rukia had silently stood up and left. That was okay too. However she found she was wrong when an answer came in a soft whisper.

"I do love Renji. I just never thought of him as anything other than a brother because that is what we were growing up. We were a family and now, he is the only one left from that family."

"So strange."

"Why is that so strange?"

"Because any time I hear you mention anything about family you always talk about having to honor the Kuchiki name, and how kind they were to adopt you."

"Not so strange, as they are my family now you know."

"And Renji's not?"

"NO… Yes… it's complicated."

"I think it's sad that you don't know which one you are in love with."

Rukia took a deep breath ready to scold Momo in a blast of indignantion. Never had her schoolmate been so cheeky! Leaning forward, she was ready to chew Hinamori out until she heard the sound of the soft regular breathing of a person falling asleep. Rukia leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms in front of her with a 'humph' of displeasure.

Despite being somewhat peeved, she wondered if she should try and get Momo to her bed so the girl wouldn't wake up with a stiff spine from sleeping slumped over the table like that. It was then she heard a knock at the door. Rukia went and opened it to find both Renji and Ichigo standing shoulder to shoulder and staring down at her with faces looking unusually somber than what was customary for them.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded, one hand on the door and one on her hip.

Ichigo looked down at her and then rolled his eyes, "Rude as always I see. And by the way, nice greeting."

Rukia rolled her eyes but dropped the hand on the door, which allowed Renji to shoulder past the two of them. However, he stopped short after catching sight of Hinamori slumped over the table. He frowned at Rukia over his shoulder and asked, "Did you get her drunk? It's kind of early in the morning for that isn't it?"

Pain erupted on the side of his head from a powerful punch from the fast-moving midget shinigami otherwise known as Rukia Kuchiki.

"Ow, that hurt!"

"I intended it to hurt you idiot! Let's get one thing straight; I did not get her drunk! She just took some medicine the Fourth sent over and it must be finally kicking in."

She turned to Ichigo and with a hard look as if daring him to make any smart-assed comments. He just held up his hands and edged around her to where Renji was standing.

"Oh, and one of you can carry her to bed," she ordered.

"Women sure are a pain," Ichigo said in a hushed tone to Renji who nodded in agreement.

"What?" Suspicious, she walked around to confront them.

Both Ichigo and Renji were familiar with that certain warning glint in her eye and knew that they were one step away from getting a foot planted in the face. The situation was critical and must be handled with the utmost of care and wisdom.

"I have to use the bathroom," the orange-haired youth said, and spun to go in search of it.

"Coward," Renji muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Now the midget shinigami had her arms akimbo and was glaring up at her tattooed friend.

"Uhm, and where do you want me to take her?" He asked as the red-haired man nervously rubbed the back of his neck while giving her a weak grin.

Rukia nodded in the direction off to the side of the living room, "In there."

Then she turned and walked softly to where Hinamori was sleeping. Becoming aware that Renji wasn't following her she stopped, glared at him over her shoulder and jabbed a finger to the spot next to her. Taking his own sweet time in getting there Renji stopped a few paces away from Rukia still distrustful of her mood. When she was like this it was always a good idea to make sure to be stationed out of the reach of her tiny fists and feet. Whoever said tiny couldn't hurt had never met Rukia Kuchiki. She could be vicious when she wanted to be.

Once situated, close enough to satisfy her but also out of the danger zone, the tall shinigami turned his attention to look down at Hinamori's sleeping figure. He could feel Rukia's glare stabbing him in the back while one foot tapped in irritation while waiting for him to pick up their friend.

As for Renji, he stared at the Momo with her dark brown hair hanging loosely about her shoulders, wondering exactly how and where to grab in order to pick her up. He was suddenly feeling awkward and gangly next to the shorter, petite shinigami who was only slightly taller than Rukia. Both girls were diminutive even for their gender. Compared to these two elf-like and tiny females, he felt like the proverbial giant hollow stomping and crashing around a china shop.

"Aren't you going to pick her up? What's the matter? You carried me and didn't have a problem with it! " Rukia whispered fiercely, finding her friend's behavior very odd.

Just then Ichigo returned and Rukia beckoned him over with the same jabbing of the finger at the spot next to her. With an exasperated sigh, he crossed the room and upon reaching the other two, he also contemplated the sleeping shinigami before them.

"This guy…." she glared at Renji who cringed, for who knew what evil torture the ill-tempered woman would inflict next, "has developed some kind of weird allergy to girls all of a sudden." Now Rukia turned that laser sharp glare of dark purple at the orange-haired substitute shinigami.

Ichigo started to make a mocking comment until an elbow jabbed him in the side.

"Damn you're violent!" He complained, rubbing his aching side. He would have gone on but she put a finger to her lips and did a sharp, quick tilt of her head at Hinamori. "Oh, right, sorry."

He shifted from foot to foot, glanced over at Renji who was staring off out the window and then back to Rukia, whose eyebrows were descending in that ominous, displeased frown of hers. Things were about to get unpleasant in a big hurry if he couldn't figure out what it was that she wanted.

"What?"

Now her eyes of dark-blue purple eyes narrowed at the orange-haired youth towering over her. "Pick her up you idiot and carry her to bed." What was with these guys?

"Okay, okay, geez, gimme a break." Although he was looking down at the sleeping girl, he didn't make a move.

"What are you waiting for, an engraved invitation?"

"No," he muttered grudgingly.

Ichigo didn't want to admit that 'carry her to bed' set off some pictures in his head that he was frantically trying to dump in a mental garbage pail. Sensing rather than seeing the gathering storm on Rukia's brow, he went down on one knee but then paused, considering where to place his hands. It wasn't like carrying Rukia or even one of his sisters. His sisters were his sisters and Rukia was, well Rukia. Okay, so he wasn't a man of grand words, all he knew was this felt different and he couldn't describe why exactly. Glancing up he saw Rukia was frowning down at him impatiently. He better get a move on or he would soon find himself at the end of a furious punch.

One hand could scoop under Hinamori's knees so he started there and then slid the other between the chair and the small of her back. At first he placed a hand on her side and hefted. He almost tipped over backward for the small shinigami hardly weighed a thing. At that moment, Hinamori's head rolled onto Ichigo's shoulder. Definitely off balance now he staggered backward until Rukia's hand pushed on his back and helped steady him.

"Don't drop her!" He heard Rukia hiss behind him.

The corners of his mouth turned down; did she think he was aiming to toss Hinamori around like a beach ball? "I'm not trying to!" He hissed back indignantly.

Then he realized where his hand was touching and with a jerk straightened out his hand so that it stuck out awkwardly. Closing his eyes in order to regain some semblance of calm, Ichigo finally opened them before turning around.

"Now what?" He asked in a bored voice.

The tiny quick-tempered shinigami wasn't paying attention; instead, she was staring at the hand stuck out flat as if he were offering to shake hands with her. Frowning in puzzlement at the sight, it finally dawned on her what was going on and with shoulders shaking as she tried to giggle quietly to herself, she pointed at his hand.

"Go ahead and laugh midget, we'll see who's laughing later!" Brown eyes glared at her but it didn't register as she was so used to the sight of Ichigo glaring.

Still amused, she asked in a whisper, "What are you, like twelve?" Then, she leaned in and whispered in a sing-song voice, "Ichigo is carrying a girl!" and covered her mouth to stifle the laugh when his lips went straight to a pout and his brow lowered into a scowl.

Even though she was smiling broadly, Rukia took his hand and moved it so it around Momo's arm and wasn't anywhere near touching the out-of-bound areas. Once finished, a snicker escaped her and she hastily covered her mouth with her hand lest her giggles escalate into guffaws and Rukia possessed a very hearty laugh when she got going.

For his part, Renji was still staring off out the window although he snuck glances back to see what was taking place. Renji never thought of Momo as a female before, oh sure, a _girl_ but that was a description as one would say another person was fat, or tall, nothing more than that. Now all of a sudden, (it was Ichigo's fault) Momo was a woman, which was different than being a mere girl. Not that he thought of Momo that way, certainly not, (blast that Ichigo).

There was only one way to end this torment, so ignoring Rukia's muffled snickering Ichigo mouthed, "Which way?"

Still holding a hand over her mouth, the tiny female pointed to the door off to the side of the living room. With a nod of mussed orange locks, he nodded and then headed off in the direction indicated.

Both Rukia and Renji watched his retreating back for a moment before turning back to each other.

"Want some tea?"

Renji shook his head, "No just had some. In fact, we were just finishing up a late breakfast when we got the message to return."

"You were in the human world? What for?"

"I asked to be posted there for a while."

Interested, Rukia tilted her face so she could look up at him and saw that his grin had turned shy yet still held a hint of pride as he confessed, "You know that I have achieved bankai,"

Rukia nodded, curious now.

"Well, I need more experience in using it so I can learn to control it better. Kuchiki taicho suggested that I get as much practice in as possible before the war starts. Zabimaru and I need to become more familiar with each other in this new form. It's pretty simple, the more we practice the more skilled we become. There were reports of some hollow activity in Karakura so it was the perfect training ground." He ended, lifting his chin proudly.

_With training there is a less likely chance of dying_, thought Rukia as a hint of cold fear wrapped around her heart. Never before had it been brought home so clearly to her that she might actually lose loved ones in the upcoming war. She was already reconciled to the fact that _she _could die. Having nearly been executed tended to make one take stock of things like life and death. She also found out that she liked living, enjoyed it even and wanted to live to enjoy and long healthy life with those she loved if at all possible. Rukia didn't think she was afraid to die, but without a doubt she definitely knew that she didn't want to die to further some ignoble scheme of a black-hearted traitor. Her face turned grim, and she certainly didn't want anyone she loved or, for that matter of fact, even knew, to die for that either.

Yes, she knew she could easily lose her life to this struggle, not that she intended to go without putting up a stubborn fight, but there was something worse than that. It was the fear and grief she would know if the ones she had loved for centuries were killed. But the one she couldn't accept, wouldn't accept was that of Ichigo Kurosaki. That would deaden her as surely as if a soul cutter pierced through the saketsu chain and the hakusui in a single strike.

Dark purple-colored eyes lifted her eyes when she heard Ichigo returning from the bedroom and saw that his cheeks were tinged a light pink. His lower lip was thrust out and his eyebrows were lowered in the deep glower of his trademark grumpy pout to hide emotions he didn't want to be seen. He wrestled so hard to keep from letting his tender heart show, but she was glad that it was the only fight this substitute shinigami ever lost. Tears formed in her eyes until his form was just an approaching blur. She could answer Hinamori's question now. She did indeed love Renji, but Renji was loved as a friend. Instead, it was by this strange orange-haired boy's side that she would choose to be for all the rest of her days. No matter how long or short that might be. The adopted daughter of the Kuchiki clan would have it no other way!

Coming up to her, he studied the expression on her face and asked, "What's with that dopey expression on your face? Are you sick or something?" Ichigo didn't like the sad look he was seeing or the tears gathering at the edges of her eyes. That meant she was worrying about him again and maybe even making plans in her head about how she was to protect him! Well that's not the way it was going to be! He wasn't named 'Ichigo' as a whim! Years ago, when his mother was still alive, his father had told him that his name meant, 'one who protects' and he meant to live up to it or die trying!

He leaned down so his eyes could be on her level and scowled at her as his face glared into hers and commanded, "Stop it! I can tell you are getting all worked up over nothing." Then in a softer tone he added, "We are not going to lose each other. Not after coming this far."

"I was not getting all worked up!" She yelled back into his face, and then remembering the sleeping Hinamori and clapped a hand over her mouth.

Darting a glance at the door and not hearing anything, she dropped her hand and hissed into his face, tears hanging like a threat at the corners of her eyes, "You are such a child! You never think about the consequences, never think beyond today…"

"Well, why don't you just rebuild the Soukyoku then if that's what you think! The reason you are here today is because of my childish 'never-thinking-beyond-today' and quite frankly I'm of the opinion things worked out rather well even if I do say so myself! And by the way, 'you're welcome!'" Seeing that she was about to match him mood for mood, he leaned down and placed his hands on her shoulders, catching and holding her gaze in his determined brown ones. Then, in a soft tone, promised, "I just got you back and there is no way that I am going to lose you again!"

"You fool! That's not the kind of promise one can make. War is unpredictable, even life is unpredictable. So don't promise me something you can't possibly keep! It just makes you look weak!" Rukia was vehement but a tear escaped and trickled down.

Looking down at her cheek, Ichigo lifted a hand and caught the tear on the tip of his finger. Then raising his eyes back up to hers, he gave her a small quirky smile with, brown eyes glowing and resolute as he stated firmly, "Listen, when I said I won't lose you, I meant it. If I have to go Hueco Mundo myself and knock Aizen on his arrogant ass then I will do it! I won't lose friends and I won't lose you, I won't allow it, it's not gonna happen!"

Right then her whole emotional being was teetering and Rukia was not used to feeling that way so she dealt with it in the usual way she dealt with things outside her understanding. Clenching her fists, she rose on her tiptoes trying to get as close up to his face as possible, and yelled out "I can't believe you! You are the arrogant one! Saying something like that goes to prove that you are still a child!" She swung at him but this time didn't connect because he caught her fist and held it straight up so she was stuck up on her toes glaring at him.

Lowering his face close to hers, he tilted his head in a nod up at her fist and with a mocking grin stated, "Real adult like!"

"Shut up! You are so stupid to think you can go waltzing in and attack Aizen!"

"Don't you get it? It can be done! If just a few of us infiltrate we could surprise Aizen and even if we couldn't surprise and arrest him, we could at least do enough damage to set them back for a while." Ichigo lowered his arm so her heels were flat on the floor, but held her eyes with his the whole time.

Renji, who had been watching the whole thing, finally broke in, "Can't you two hold it down for longer than five minutes?" casting a look in the direction of Hinamori's room.

Rukia ducked her head, suddenly nervous by the stark emotion she was reading in Ichigo's eyes. "Renji's right! You need to talk more quietly; we have a convalescing person in the other room."

What a switch this was, Rukia was on the defensive and unsure of herself. With a fake frown the Ichigo straightened and replied in a bored voice, "Well, maybe if you lowered that foghorn of a voice of yours we wouldn't need to be reprimanded by Tattoos Incorporated over there."

"HEY! What's wrong with my tattoos? Wanna discuss this, zanpakutou to zanpakutou?"

"Fine by me! Mr. Weird Brows."

"Yeah, well outside then, you orange-dyed freak!"

"How many times do I have to tell you, this is my natural hair color tattoo-boy! C'mon, we can do this, right here, right now!"

_Foghorn?_ Rukia didn't need to know what a foghorn was to know that she had just been insulted. One eyebrow began twitching as she glared at the arguing men. The fact that she did not verbally erupt should have been their first warning, however, the two were too busy glaring at each other to notice when she erupted into a whirling frenzy of doom.

Both men were nearly nose-to-nose and snarling at each other; but before either Renji or Ichigo could lay even one finger on a hilt, they both were hit up alongside the head with such a blow that made their ears ring.

"Damn she hits hard," complained Ichigo, as he ducked away, barely able to avoid the second swing.

"You got to learn to roll with it," advised Renji who was rubbing the side of his head and wincing while keeping a cautious eye on her fists.

"You two!" She pointed to the table, "SIT!" Both quickly took a chair and settled there giving her wary glances.

She waited a moment. "No more noise, no more fighting, no more loud voices, understand! We are going to sit here like the civilized shinigami, and substitute shinigami that we are and have a nice civilized conversation. Got it!"

Both men mumbled something and she barked out, " I can't hear you!"

"What happened to a quiet civilized conversation O Lady of the Loud Mouth?"

One could practically see the steam rolling out of her ears upon that remark. "I'm gonna rip you a new one Renji so you better start running, NOW!"

Renji took off in a flat-out sprint with a furious Rukia hot on his heels.

Ichigo was chuckling, glad that he was not the one she was chasing when she was in this mood. It was then he felt a threatening shift in the air and was about to spin in place to face the new threat but it was too late. His head erupted in pain and then he spiraled down into darkness. He fell out of his chair unconscious, oblivious of the shadow standing over him.

* * *

One of the kanji for Kuchiki means 'mouth'. I thought it was a nice pun. (I am easily amused.)

Thank you very much, for those of you have left reviews. It is because of those kind comments that I am posting this a little earlier than I intended to. And, yes, for your information I am _that _superficial and shallow! Compliments and praise motivate me… a lot. Speaks ill of me, but it works out for you, dear reader.

_Dwellin_


	8. All Roads Lead To Roam

_As always, I have the two best betas in the world! This story would be the poorer without their sharp eyes and suggestions. Thank you ladies! millythompson and Aine of Knockaine!_

Tite Kubo owns Bleach. Dwellin owns very little.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**All Roads Lead to Rome**

**or**

**To Sow the Wind and Reap the Whirlwind**

Momo flash stepped across the Seireitei pushing herself to the limits. At her belt was the bag of reiatsu-filled spheres from the recent burglaries, while Tobiume was fastened to her back reminiscent of the how Toshiro carried Hyourinmaru, so she could keep it tucked as close to her body as possible. Where she was going, the last thing she needed was to have the end of the scabbard scrape against a wall and give away the fact that she was sneaking around Aizen's fortress. For the time being, Momo let the bag slap against the side of her thigh. She wasn't concerned about being seen here and didn't want to waste reiatsu in covering up when it wasn't necessary. Now all that mattered was the speed needed to reach the gate as quickly as possible before anyone realized the lieutenant of the Fifth was gone.

She regretted having to sneak up on Ichigo and knock him over the back of the head with the end of her soul cutter like that, but doubted he would just let her waltz out the door without trying to stop her

Many soul reapers were of the opinion that he was still an irresponsible ryoka, but through the eyes of Rukia and Renji, she had seen the other side of him. Some may see him as a reckless human, but she now knew that for the sake of a friend he wouldn't flinch from striding through the gates of hell and fighting for them. She really hoped that her goal, if she succeeded, would prevent that and also the death of any soul reaper. It may be naïve on her part to think she could save even one life, but if it put off the outbreak of war by just one day, then that was one day more of life for the people she loved. It would be worth it even if she sacrificed her life for it.

Good thing for her that Ichigo was distracted by the behavior of his two friends and was also facing away from her. If not, Momo knew she wasn't strong enough to defeat the deputy-soul reaper who defeated Captains Zaraki and Kuchiki. As it was, one mini-flash step and she was behind him knocking him out. Unfortunately, he had crashed to the floor instead of onto the table like she was hoping he would. Conscience pricked, she dragged him into her bedroom; because there was no way she was going to be able to heft his heavier frame up onto her couch. Momo found she could, however, slide him behind her and get him up from the floor to her futon bed. Then she covered him with a blanket while muttering a quick apology.

What the three nakama didn't realize was that from the beginning, she wasn't asleep like they had assumed. When she first laid her head on the table she was close to falling asleep and was too sluggish to reply to Rukia's question right away. She intended to and was just about to speak when Renji and Ichigo showed up. She was even planning on telling them she was awake but simply didn't have the energy or willpower to talk. By the time she was ready to say something, the conversation had already taken an interesting turn. It was probably wrong of her to eavesdrop on the entire discussion when they thought it was only the three of them, but she did and upon listening was once again convinced she was on the right course of action.

Momo almost laughed at the interplay between the three of them. They really were good for each other even if they wouldn't admit it. And then it surprised her how gentle Ichigo was as he carried her to the bedroom and lowered her carefully onto her futon. Then he pulled up the blanket from the foot of the bed and covered her with it. Luckily, she wasn't overcome with a drug-induced sleepiness anymore as it had worn off almost as quickly as it had come over her.

The orange-haired shinigami wasn't but a few steps out the door when she rolled out of bed and grabbed her cat burglar outfit out of the closet. With a few quick movements, she was dressed and all her equipment gathered in one spot ready for departure. The one last problem was how to get out of the house without the three of them becoming suspicious and trying to stop her.

It was a relief when things took a turn in her favor. Once Rukia and Renji were out of the house, she swiftly dealt with a distracted and unsuspecting Ichigo and then she was out the door racing for the gate. It was not the most ideal time, but from the looks of things there was a schedule being set up to baby-sit her around the clock in an attempt to guard her from any 'attacks'. Quite frankly, a girl could get used to those kinds of attacks, and the thought made Momo's cheek warm. Everything was coming together faster then she expected. But if she wanted to take advantage of it then now was the time to carry out her plans. Too bad she was so short on sleep, that could prove to be a problem but really, but what choice did she have?

In short order she neared the gate and spied the two guards to either side. Quickly she shielded herself before they could detect her spirit pressure. Seeing them here was not unexpected and one flash step here and one there, both guards were knocked out. Then she dropped her shielding, no sense in using her energy when she could be saving it for when it was truly needed.

Knowing that there was little time to waste, Hinamori hurriedly placed a sphere on either side where the controls were located and then went to stand directly in front of the gate.

This was the first of the reasons she had stolen and prepared the spheres. With a murmured word, the globes broke, sending a surge of reiatsu shaped to her bidding sparking into the machine's control panels. This way she was not dependent on other soul reapers to help her connect to Hueco Mundo. After a short wait, the field was connected and she could see a barren desert before her on the other side of the gate. As she was about to step through, she heard something like a trumpet sounding high in the air behind her. Whipping around at the noise, she looked up and gasped.

It was a speck in the distance that was rapidly approaching but she didn't need to see details to know who it was. It was Toshiro in bankai form, with an ice dragon's skin enveloping his limbs down to his toes and fingertips where they ended in razor sharp claws. Blossoming out of his back were huge bat-like glacier wings and trailing behind him was a long tapering tail. Over parts of his skin were bright scales of ice, shimmering like blue diamonds as the sun glanced off them. But what struck her as odd was that he wasn't wearing his captain's cloak. Her mouth dropped and she raised a hand to shade her eyes to watch his approach. What was he doing in that form? But more importantly, what was he doing here? From what she understood from Ukitake and Unohana, the last place he would want to come was the Soul Society, where he would be hunted down, arrested, and placed in one of the Fourth's containment cells.

As he moved closer, she could just make out the scowl on his face and his eyes were blazing with something like fear and fury at the same time. Even though he was still a good ways off, his voice was so loud that she could hear as clearly as if he were standing right next to her.

"Momo! Don't you dare step through! Listen to me! Stay where you are! Momo! I am coming for you!"

Straight and sure like an eagle in flight, the bankai form of Hitsugaya aimed directly for her and he was coming in fast. Knowing that he was going to stop her and that there was little to no time left, Hinamori turned and leaped through the gate while releasing another surge of reiatsu that put a barrier over the screen. Hopefully he would not be able to break through that. Originally Momo had only intended to use it to slow down anyone seeking to come after her, but now she hoped it would slow him down enough so that he could be caught. The last thing she needed right now was him trying to protect him while she was in the process of protecting him!

Fortunately she programmed the gate to shut, and on top of that, had also inserted into the control panel a command that wouldn't let it open for a few hours. At least she hoped it would be a few hours, because she never had the chance to test it before this. Since this was Toshiro, she doubted it would hold him back but a few short minutes being the stinking genius that he was! The third thing inserted were a new set of directions to replace the ones she had used. So, if someone did come after her, at least they wouldn't be able to follow her to the exact same place.

She closed her eyes briefly, one tear streaking down her cheek. If Shiro-chan came blazing into arrancar territory after her like that, he would be an easy target. Light brown eyes turned to look back over her shoulder at the screen. It was closing gradually, moving from the edges toward the center point in an agonizingly slow pace. Standing on the other side of the gate, she could hear him bellowing her name, commanding her to turn back but it was already too late for the gate was closing. Momo took a deep breath and then started away from the gate, Toshiro's voice fading as the gate continued to close.

**Finding Puzzle Pieces**

"Ahhhggh!" He moaned and touched the throbbing bump on the back of his head, wincing when his fingers came into contact with the lump.

"Rukia! C'mere, he's coming around now."

There was a rustling noise and when Ichigo raised his eyelids he found two pairs of eyes staring down at him in concern. He sat up suddenly causing both to jump back to avoid his head slamming into theirs. Supporting himself up on arms propped behind him, he gazed around trying to figure out where he was and what had happened to him while waiting for the dizziness to pass.

Seeing his puzzled expression, Renji informed him, "You were knocked out by someone and they kidnapped Momo. All signs point to it being Hitsugaya taicho. We came back and found you on Momo's bed. Did you see who it was? But what I really want to know is why you let someone sneak up on you? Dude, so amateurish!"

Ichigo growled back, "I doubt Toshiro would carry, drag, or move me anywhere if he hit me over the head."

With a further glower Ichigo was about to continue when Rukia held up a paper and shook it, which got both of males to look at her. "I went through her drawers and found this. She must have thought she was in danger because she left this for one of her friends to find." She eyed Ichigo over the paper, "Although if she was kidnapped, you're right, it was by someone who was rather considerate since they didn't leave you in a crumpled heap on a cold floor."

"Yeah, my heart is filled with gratitude," he said sarcastically, while looking off to the side. "I can't believe they got the drop on me."

"The what?" Rukia asked while at the same time, Renji asked, "Why would the kidnapper drop you?"

"Geez, what I meant is that they were able to sneak up on me." Ichigo looked like he would rather be in another fight with Zaraki than admit that. He lifted his eyes to the ceiling in thought, "You know, I don't think she was kidnapped. I think she left of her own free will."

Renji mulled it over before nodding, while Rukia frowned a bit before she also nodded. It fit.

"Well then, maybe we can find something in here to explain things."

"What is it?" Curious, Renji leaned in to stare over her shoulder at the paper she held.

"It's her will."

"She will what…?"

Rukia answered, "Last Will and Testament. You know, where she leaves instructions about who inherits her stuff, that sort of thing if she dies."

"Dies?" asked Renji, his eyebrows pulled down in confusion as he looked around her bedroom. It was pretty bare, much like everyone else who was a soul reaper, except for a few touches here and there that made it unique to Hinamori. The average soul reaper didn't usually possess much to leave anyone except for the rich ones or ones from the noble families.

"What's she got to leave?" He was curious as to what Hinamori would, because he didn't think she owned anything that was valuable enough to leave in a will.

"Mainly her friends."

Both Renji and Ichigo were stunned into silence for a second before Ichigo protested, "Hey, no one owns people! You can't leave them in your will for others to inherit!"

"You idiots! She's not giving people away! What she is bequeathing are her friendships and I happen to think it is sweet!"

Renji's face scrunched up baffled, "I don't get it. How do you give a friendship to someone else?"

"Yeah, I don't get it either," agreed Ichigo. He wasn't feeling as dizzy as he did when he first regained consciousness and swung his legs out over the side of the futon.

Rukia shrugged as she quickly scanned the papers, and then remarked, "Yep. She says here that the most important things she has in the world are her friends and she bequeaths the friendships to Captain Hitsugaya."

"Hey, is my name mentioned?"

Rukia read until she found the right paragraph, "Hold on a sec. Yes, you are."

She looked up with her huge eyes and stared at him before a smirk appeared. "It looks like you are going to be his best buddy. Let's see, here are some suggestions for fun activities: water balloon fights, top-spinning contests, cutting up and eating watermelon with required fight of seed-spitting, and watch fireworks together."

Rukia started laughing as a picture came to mind of Renji forgetting himself and giving Hitsugaya a friendly slap on the back and calling him 'Shiro-chan' which would end up with Renji encased in a block of ice_._

Renji glared at the chuckling adopted daughter of clan Kuchiki. They sure didn't pick her for her refined sense of humor and he could easily guess what she was finding so funny. The idea of being pals with the rigid, uptight, prickly, and aloof to the point of arrogant, captain of the Tenth made him pale, causing his tattoos to stand out against his skin even more. He was sure that the white spiky-haired captain never laughed, never smiled, and never, ever, had any fun. It was probably against his personal code: "Death before fun!" In the fukutaichou of the Sixth's opinion, most captains were a little odd in one way or another, but at least the one thing Renji could say in Hitsugaya's favor was that the captain of the Tenth Division was not as crazy as the captain of the Twelfth Division. What a recommendation for a friendship!

He gulped and gathered up his courage to ask, "Does she, uh, does she say that I have to spend time with him?" He closed his eyes and began silently pleading with whatever deity that would answer as he waited for the answer.

"Yes, on his birthday you are to give him a card, and then take him to the restaurant of his choice."

"There are no nice deities!" whispered Renji hoarsely as his shoulders slumped. He looked like he had aged many centuries in just a few seconds.

Rukia grinned while pointing a finger at Renji and his grumpy expression. Then, relenting, she said, "I'm sorry, it doesn't say that at all, I was making it up! It was so worth it though. You should have seen the look on your face!"

She chuckled a bit, totally unfazed by his scowl, before going on, "However, Momo does have a list of ideas you can do, but suggests that you wait until Captain Hitsugaya reads his part of the will first."

"Okay, okay, great, just what I need, an unsmiling, humorless, anal-retentive, cold as the grave, white-haired killjoy, iron rod up his…"

"Renji!"

"_What?" Here it comes_, he thought resignedly, _the lecture I always get that I should respect those in authority, blah, blah, blah._

"You shouldn't say that about your new best buddy!"

"I hate you," he breathed out, "and don't _even _think I'm gonna leave you anything in my will!"

She stuck out her tongue at him and then smiled before turning to read the last page. As she did so the smile slipped from her face.

"What is it?" asked Ichigo, always sensitive to Rukia's moods. He had been smiling at the fun being poked at Renji and enjoying Rukia's teasing him, but stood up and went to stand next to her.

"She wouldn't! She can't!"

"What! What!" demanded Renji, as he moved to Rukia's side leaving her now sandwiched between two tall men hovering and bending over her.

"It says here that she is going on a mission and if she doesn't come back, then she wanted it to be known that she totally acted on her own without anyone's help."

Rukia couldn't read the words fast enough and scanned through the phrases rapidly looking for the ones with the essential information. She flipped the page over and read the back, the color draining from her face.

"She's going to Hueco Mundo!"

There was silence as the three took in the news.

"So that's why she wrote out her will," Renji murmured, "Well, it's definite now, she wasn't kidnapped after all."

"Why?" Rukia requested in a tight, strained whisper.

Ichigo shook his head in disbelief. Stupid girl, what did she think she could accomplish by doing this?

"From what it says here, I think she is going to try and find something and bring it back but she doesn't mention what it is."

"Rukia," asked Ichigo, his eyes narrowed and serious, "do you know how to get this place?"

"Yes, both Renji and I do, although we have never been there." She lifted her chin to stare in to Ichigo's eyes, already knowing what he was going to say, but he needed to know what the odds were. "It's the home of the hollows, even as the Seireitei is the home of soul reaper's."

His eyes didn't flinch, didn't waver, "I'm going," he stated flatly, "and I am going to bring her back."

"As will I," stated Renji just as firmly. They both turned to look at Rukia for her answer.

"You two would botch this up without me," she gave them her famous, "bring it!" smirk hoping it would hide the sick worry churning up her stomach.

"Yeah! Let's do this!"

The threesome hurried from the bedroom but when they were almost to the door, Rukia cried out, "Wait! Let me write a note at least so if anyone comes looking for us at least they will know what we are doing."

Both men waited while she wrote a note, but with impatience showing in every tap of the fingers against their sword hilts, shifting from one foot to the other, and glancing over their shoulders at the door.

"What's taking so long, writing your own will?" demanded Renji, tattoos pulled together in a scowl.

"Shut up, I'd let you write it but your handwriting looks you were writing, sneezing, and in an earthquake at the same time."

"It's not that bad!" Renji protested, narrowing his eyes at her.

"For a drunk with palsy, no, it's not."

"Not leaving you anything in my will; got it! Not one blessed thing!"

Finally, when she was finished and tacked the note to the door, the trio sped toward the gate at neck break speed.

**The Gathering of Eagles**

Hyourinmaru-Hitsugaya couldn't believe it! His mate had looked over her shoulder at him for a moment before insolently and disobediently stepping through the gate! And after he expressly forbade her to do so! His mate was running! Every involuntary and instinctual response in him rose to the surface and overrode any coherent thought. The blood thrummed through his veins, and he would give chase in the ancient way if that was what it took to claim his mate. Shinning silver disks snapped over dark aqua eyes and fangs grew as he roared a warning to any who would get between him and his chosen. Wings began snapping at the air while wind rushed past his face, but he could see nothing, feel nothing except the emptiness testifying to the fact that she was gone, having stepped through the film of this realm into that of another. He roared his fury again, he would find her, and would track her down, proving his right as the dominant and rightful mate of the fleeing female.

Screaming down from the sky, the nearly merged hybrid targeted the gate aiming for the disappearing hole in the middle, but he was too late, it closed mere heartbeats before he would be able to get there. It was only by supreme effort that the Hitsugaya part of him regained control and was able to keep from crashing by the furious flapping of his wings along with a push of reiatsu. Then he circled above the gate for a few turns before landing with a great snap of blue ice membranes that caused dust and debris to gust and rise around him. Clenching and unclenching his fists he glared at the closed gate before him as if by a fierce effort of will he would make the landscape of the place she stepped into appear. It didn't and for a moment his rage was such that he couldn't even think straight.

It was then he sensed the approach of several different levels of reiatsu. Heart of shinigami and the power and overriding instinct of the dragon worked together. The silvery light of his eyes glowed stronger and then closing them, the blend of shinigami and zanpakutou concentrated, sending out a wave that would knock anyone nearby into unconsciousness. They were not interested in killing anyone as that would not help them attain their goal. Unless those who were foolhardy tried to stand between him and his desired, only then would he unleash the killing stroke. For now, the blend of the shinigami and zanpakutou was interested in was finding where she went and catching up to her so he could claim her as his.

The shinigami-ice dragon reached out with his senses, doing a quick search, and was satisfied to find that they were rendered unconscious. Now there weren't any immediate interruptions to bother him, it was time to work, find out what coordinates the machine was last set to, and make sure to override any blocks she could have set up. In this he had the edge, what was genius for if not times like this?

As he was making progress calling up information faster than the eye could process, he felt another wave of spirit pressure hurrying in his direction. He closed his eyes and explored the surrounding area; this time there were just three of them approaching. They were coming fast but without the intent to harm. He sent out another wave of his own reiatsu to slam into them and halt their progress. Then the silver-haired blended-being turned back to what he was working on, so it was with a jolt of surprise when he heard voices behind him.

Whipping around, he found Kurosaki, Abarai, and the Kuchiki girl facing him. By their stances, he would tell that all were ready to fight if need be, but only if he forced them into it.

"Captain Hitsugaya, what are you doing here? Don't you know that you are being sought? You need help. Captain Unohana knows how to bring the balance back, but it needs to be done before you are taken over."

"So what if I am?"

The trio looked at each other then back at the captain of the Tenth. That was his voice but with something deep and ancient intermingled with it.

"Hey, I don't know about all this crossbreed, merging stuff that everyone has been talking about, but it sounds to me like you need help." Ichigo said in his most, 'don't-I-make-sense?' voice that he seldom used. "So Toshiro, you should listen to Rukia here."

Rukia gave Ichigo a glare and then turned to Hitsugaya. "Yes, you know you must turn yourself in as this condition could easily swallow your identity. Once you are separated again then…"

"First of all impertinent child, I know what I am doing. I am not this blend that you are all speaking of among yourselves. Do you not know that I already am well aware of this dangerous state of which you speak? We are in harmony against the stupidity of the Hitsugaya who seeks to feel nothing. When we have claimed our mate, all will return to normal again."

"Mate?" Rukia repeated dumbly and turned to the other two, "Is he talking about Hinamori?"

"How would I know," grumbled Ichigo, "It's not like I hang with them all the time! All I know is what you two have told me but I don't recall anyone mentioning that they were dating."

"Yeah, it's gotta be her," said Renji, with a smirk, "I think he's finally ready to 'relate'. This oughta be good!"

"Listen, Captain Hitsugaya, we are here because we need to go save Momo because she has done a very foolish thing. However, our orders are to bring you back to the Fourth's infirmary if we found you."

Rukia knew it sounded like she was talking to a very small child, and a spoiled one at that, as she tried to make the captain of the Tenth see reason. However, she couldn't help but look at the captain, then at the gate, and then back to the captain, her face a study of indecision. Shuffling from one foot to the other she was torn between what she wanted to do and what her duty was.

At that moment, Ichigo turned to Rukia, "I know what we were told and what our orders are, but I am going after her. I think she is in more danger than he is."

Brown eyes cut over to the captain of the Tenth, looking him up and down. "He looks sane enough to me, and if I understand this right, once this claiming thing is done he will return back to his old self."

"Which is what exactly?" Rukia's dark blue-purple eyes bounced from Hitsugaya to Ichigo and then back again to Hitsugaya to study the Tenth's captain with uncertainly. "We have no idea what this… uh," she waved in Hitsugaya's direction, "er, his intentions are toward Momo."

Renji chuckled, "Oh, I know what his intentions are!" Then he waggled his eyebrows.

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Stop it Renji, this is more serious than that!"

"What? It's obvious, just look at the way he's acting. He wants to… how can I say this delicately? He wants to consummate their relationship. See, I can be as tactful as the next person."

"They have a relationship?" Ichigo inquired, looking Hitsugaya up and down again before studying the strange color of the spiky-haired youth's eyes which were flickering back and forth between silver and aqua. That couldn't be good.

"No they don't, they haven't even gone on a date yet."

"How do you know?" Ichigo couldn't help himself, shinigami dated? He didn't know that. But how would he? He hadn't ever seen any shinigami babies running around swinging itsy bitsy katanas, so why would he think that they ever had… er, urges? He looked down at Rukia from the corner of his eye. He wondered if Rukia dated. He tucked that question in a corner of his mind to think about later, right now the situation his full attention.

"Renji stop twitching your eyebrows! And Ichigo, everyone in the Seireitei would know if these two had any kind of physical relationship. It's just not something that one can keep under wraps for very long."

"Why not?"

Forget the situation needed his attention, this was very interesting stuff here. In fact, if one were to date a certain midget, would it get back to that certain midget's brother? And how would that certain midget's brother react? This this was something he definitely needed to know.

"Later, all right? When we get back, I will tell you all about…"

"The shinigami birds and the bees!" Renji broke in, practically crowing in a sing-song voice, while nudging Ichigo with his elbow.

"Fools, are you done with your blathering? If so, depart for I am going after her no matter what you say or do."

Hitsugaya shot them a withering glance before turning his attention back to the panels while uttering in an icy voice, "You will not be able to stop me."

Hitsugaya's hands raced over the controls and called up numbers and coordinates which were scrolling by so fast that Rukia couldn't read them. He felt Rukia's gaze on him and turned to hold her eyes with his own. She noted how the silver wasn't the actual eye color but more like a curtain of silvery transparent silk covering his eyes and it was switching back and forth with his usual aqua color. It was sort of mesmerizing, and downright creepy weird.

"Sorry Toshiro, I am going, you are staying," stated Ichigo firmly, "So turn yourself over to these two and they will take you to…"

"Oh hell no! I am not babysitting Captain Ice when Momo could be in danger! I am going with you and you can't stop me!" Renji squared off with Ichigo, grim determination burning in his eyes.

Ichigo held Renji's eyes steadfastly for a moment, studying the resolve there before grinning and saying, "Thanks Renji. Don't worry, we'll find her and bring her back."

_As I knew you would_, thought Rukia wryly. _It is a habit now. When Ichigo finds out that rules of the soul society are going against the common good of helping a friend in danger, the rules fly out the window. _She studied the determined set of his chin, the narrowing of his eyes out of the corner of her eye. _This is what I love about you Ichigo, your passion to aid a friend in need, and you never consider it an inconvenience, it is not even a decision for you any more than choosing to breathe is, or whom to love. This is just part of who you are. And where you go, I will follow._

"Well, what are we waiting for? C'mon you two!" she said while starting to take a step toward the gate.

"Wait! I am going with you or no one is going." All three stumbled back at the horrendous amount of reiatsu that was abruptly unleashed on them pushing them down.

"I don't have a problem with that," panted Renji where he was down on one knee, "You guys?"

"No," gasped out Rukia who was down on both knees.

Ichigo was still on his feet although the heavy reiatsu was pressing down hard on his shoulders. He looked up from under the orange spiky brows and then a half-smile formed and he said, "Welcome to the team, Toshiro." Then he released his own reiatsu to pour forth from him in a tidal wave of power. He saw Toshiro take a step back as the force of it hit him, but didn't give any other sign that he was in any discomfort. Ichigo narrowed his eyes at Hitsugaya and asked quietly, "So, how's this sound to you, we team up, rescue Momo, and then sort this all out later?"

Instead of answering Toshiro said, "I have found the coordinates." And with that the spirit pressure lifted. Ichigo reached over and helped Rukia to her feet although she seemed irked that Hitsugaya forced to her to her knees and then kept there by Ichigo. Renji only rose and gave his head a shake as if to clear it.

Then the three looked at the figure at the top of the stairs. He was staring off as if seeing a great ways into the distance. "More are coming. I do not have the time to waste fighting them. I am going." Now he looked down at them. "You may come if you wish."

"Try and stop me," muttered Ichigo darkly, pinning a heated stare on Hitsugaya although it was doubtful the other noticed. He was busy letting the wings and claws melt from his body. Then he looked up and met Ichigo's narrowed eyes. Although alien silver eyes stared back at him, Ichigo refused to flinch. The aura around them grew stronger, testing each other, wrestling to see who was the stronger. The spirit pressure was growing heavy again, that is until a voice interrupted.

"HEY! We really don't have time for this. Momo is getting farther and farther from the gate while you two are playing some stupid staring contest!" Renji pointed out, frowning at the two. And people said _**he **_was immature at times!

"If we are going to do this, then let's do it!" agreed Rukia, raising a clenched fist.

"Come or stay, it matters not to me. But I am leaving now," stated the now aqua-eyed Hitsugaya.

"Let's go!" said Ichigo, mouth set in a grim line. As one they headed up the steps to stand next to Hitsugaya.

"So what's the plan?" Asked Renji as the setting for Hueco Mundo came up showing them unending rolling hills of sand stretching in all directions as far as the eyes could see. He wasn't too impressed with what he was seeing. "We do have a plan, right?

"Of course we don't, we never do, but as we are starting to draw a crowd we should get moving," said Rukia, looking over his shoulder at the approaching forms in the distance.

Each shinigami's hand hovered near the hilt of their soul cutter. With faces set like flint, they stepped through the gate and without turning, could feel the link fade. Behind their backs lay the relative safety of home, friends and family, while stretched out ahead of them was a strange, unfamiliar, and without a doubt, hostile environment filled with enemies eager to bring death down on their heads.

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Thank you for reading... I am appreciative even if you are a silent reader.

But a great big bankai hug to those of you who have taken the time to leave comments! I eat comments, reviews, compliements for breakfast. They are my "Wheaties", if you will.

_**humble bow**_

_Dwellin_


	9. Hell is Full of Sand, Who Knew?

This chapter and several others following are set in Hueco Mundo. Not all details are exactly like Kubo's. When I wasn't sure of a fact, I made it up.

I am especially thankful for my betas: millythompson and Aine of Knockaine. However, Aine was on vacation this time so milly took the brunt of the beta-ing (if that is even a word) this chapter. I love both my betas and greatly appreciate them!

Oh yeah, before I forget. "ahem" _**Own **_Bleach, sigh I _wish_.

Updated: 9/20/12

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**Chapter 9**

**Hell is Full of Sand, Who knew?**

The first thing they noticed upon their arrival in Hueco Mundo was how quiet the place was, sinister quiet, not restful quiet. Take an eternity of vast emptiness, turn it upside down over an endless sea of sand stretching out in all directions until it faded into a blank horizon and swathe it all in an eerie silence. Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia glanced at each other and then again at their destination. Hell was, not surprisingly, hot. However, those were small irritations in comparison to something else.

The three friends found themselves twitching and casting suspicious looks over their shoulders. There was a definite creepy sense that someone was watching; all except for Hitsugaya who, with arms crossed stared about them impassively.

Having survived their childhood against all odds, the eerie sensation had Rukia and Renji snapping their heads over their shoulders every few seconds looking for the source of the feeling. But where could someone spy on them from? There wasn't anything around from which a stalker could hide behind or under. All that the eye could see was the sterile desert with a few dead-looking trees littered here and there along with a few rolling dunes to break the monotony.

The only thing that could possibly survive here was that which had a perpetual hunger to consume. The ravenous need of a hollow for nourishment was one that could never be filled no matter how many souls were gorged upon, and here they stood in the place those beings called home. Each was well suited for the other.

The silence was stifling. It went beyond the absence of noise. The only sign of anything giving the impression of life was a limp breeze that brushed flaccidly against their clothing as it passed across the sterile landscape.

"Looks like a beach but without the fun," remarked Ichigo as he stood with arms folded across his chest. Zangetsu was strapped to his back in its usual place while he scanned the countryside around them. "Yeah, this would be my idea of hell."

"What's with all this sand? Are they trying to impress someone?" Renji grumbled as he kicked at the sand, tattoos pulled down tight in a frown. "I mean, who would actually want to live here?"

There was a pause as everyone became lost in his or her own thoughts. Finally Hitsugaya broke the silence.

"Forget the sand; we are not here to critique the place. We need to figure out which way Hinamori went. I don't see any signs of habitation, nor do I sense activity anywhere near us." He looked about them before searching farther out. "There is no sign she was here so it is obvious she landed in a different area than us." He moved away from the trio, walking up a slight rise to get a better view.

"Wait a minute! You said you had the coordinates!" Ichigo shot Hitsugaya a displeased look. "She should be here! Or at least some place nearby!"

Over his shoulder Hitsugaya spoke without emotion, "I know. I am sure she must have changed the coordinates in a cycling loop. If I know her, and I do, it would have been simple to figure out as this is not her area of expertise. But..."

"But we didn't have time, right?" interrupted Rukia, earning her a reproving frown from the snow-haired captain. She shrugged it off. With something to concentrate on, the twitch between her shoulder blades was lessening, or maybe she was getting used to it. Dropping her gaze from Hitsugaya's, she scanned around her for Hinamori's familiar figure hoping for an easy and quick rescue.

"Correct."

Hitsugaya's gaze went back to the landscape before he added, "We should be close but here, that could be a relative concept. She may be separated from us by miles."

"Great. Just what I like, going on a walk-about through a flaming hot desert and not a cloud in the sky, but worse, there's no sign of water. Not to mention that we're dressed in all black! Perfect color for a stroll in the blazing heat of a desert." complained Renji. He snorted in disgust and then asked, "So where do we start then?" while placing hands on his hips.

"Well, that just means we pick a direction and start looking. We look, and look, and keep on looking until we find her."

Renji an incredulous look at Ichigo but bit back the retort on the tip of his tongue. He should be used to this by now. Typical Kurosaki and to top it off, his friend's face was set in those familiar stubborn lines with a deeply etched frown in his forehead that meant there was no such thing as quitting until the goal was achieved.

"Yeah, but still it would be nice if she touched down somewhere nearby." Renji looked around him, the sameness of the horizon already getting on his nerves. "Okay Momo, where did you go? Hmmm, gotta think like Momo. So where would she head?" He stared around him some more before sighing in frustration. "This is not gonna work. I can't think like a girl."

Out of the corner of his eye Ichigo looked down at Rukia who was still considering the scenery; or lack thereof, before them. He interrupted her musings to ask, "Which way do you think she went?"

With an irked frown, Rukia tilted her chin up at him and demanded, "Why are you asking me?"

"Well, Renji's right, she's a girl, you're a girl…"

"Like we all think the same thing at the same time? What do you think we are, clones of each other?"

Renji decided to take a step back from the two when he saw her fists starting to clench and unclench at her side. Someone woke up on the wrong side of their zanpakutou this morning.

"Stop it you two." Hitsugaya said without bothering to look over his shoulder at them, "We need to focus on what's important here. The first thing we need to do is find Aizen. I am sure he is the reason she is here or at least it has something to do with him." He then turned back to study the surrounding environment.

Even as he pondered which direction Momo had taken, Toshiro was also calculating what around them could be a potential threat but also what possibly might be used in their favor. The 'Things in Their Favor' was the shorter list. The 'Things Not In Our Favor' list started off with: They were unfamiliar with the terrain, they were not the natural inhabitants to this plane of existence, and they didn't know what could be used for nourishment or, if it came to that, what could be poisonous or even if sustenance could be found in such a desolate place as this. They didn't know where they were nor did they know in which direction to go in order to find Momo.

"He's right you guys." Ichigo went to join Hitsugaya and when he was even with him, he stated in a stern voice, "Toshiro, just to get this point understood and out of the way before we start. While we are here, we have only one purpose and that is find and rescue Momo." Not looking over at the shinigami captain who was suddenly a tense, coiled spring ready to snap, he continued, "But when we return to the Soul Society, you will have to deal with us and we are going to drag your sorry butt to the Fourth's Infirmary whether you want to go or not."

"You made that clear already."

"Yeah, Shiro I did, but now it's clear again. Gotta problem with that?"

Ichigo felt the weight of the other's aqua-blue eyes land on him and something else. He turned and looked straight into eyes that flickered back and forth from silver to Toshiro's normal color.

"I am not concerned at that at the present. As you say, Kurosaki, we will deal with this later. But do not presume to think that in the outcome you will be the victor."

"Pffft! Whatever Ice King, just so you get it straight." Ichigo knew it wasn't only Hitsugaya in there as the first thing that the prickly youth would have done was correct Ichigo with, "_Don't call me that; call me Captain Hitsugaya_." The spiky-haired youth was as almost as uptight as Byakuya about formalities. And Ichigo had done it twice and the little snowball hadn't blinked twice at the names, especially the nickname.

Ichigo wondered if this was Toshiro, an inner hollow like his own, or maybe it was something else entirely. All he knew from the orders he and Renji received was that they were to capture the Tenth's captain and bring him to Unohana. Aside from that, all there was to go by was his own experience with Zangetsu and the hollow flip side of himself, if that one without a name could be trusted, which he doubted. But this incarnation didn't seem to be the same as his. With a shrug Ichigo decided that it didn't matter because, for the time being, they were allies with the same purpose. They were here to find and rescue Hinamori. Any other issues could be settled when they returned back to the Soul Society.

"She is in that direction," Hitsugaya said with firm confidence and then set off without looking to see if anyone was following him or not.

Renji shrugged, "Since we don't know for sure which way she went so I suppose one direction is as good as another."

"True," murmured Rukia and she set off after Hitsugaya, her eyes on his back.

Even if it didn't occur to Renji or Ichigo, the only female shinigami in the party knew that there was something odd going on with the way Hitsugaya was able to locate Momo's presence so quickly like that. None of them should be able to sense Hinamori's reiatsu. It was obvious as soon as they arrived that Momo must have put a force field around herself to cloak her spiritual pressure. It also stood to reason she was also using some form of kido to keep from being seen. Rukia knew there was some kido which could bend and deflect light rays to make a person appear to be undetectable, but she wasn't aware of any kido that actually made a person invisible. But if there were a kido that could do it, then Momo would be the one to know.

Without another word spoken between them, Ichigo and Renji set off after her.

**Fearless Black Cat or Terrified Kitten? (Or, I Wanted To Be A Shinigami, Why?)**

Momo was moving down a very long, dark tunnel as quickly and as quietly as she could. It was not due to her cunning or from experience gained as Momo the Black Cat. Instead, she had come upon a wall. Literally. The gate opened, she flew threw at a high rate of speed, and quickly stopped her headlong rush into Hueco Mundo by the clever use of a very hard and unyielding wall.

"Physics work in this reality too," she had groused at the wall after picking herself up and brushing off the clinging sand. Looking first one way and then another, Momo noticed with sinking hopes of finding a door or an ever-so handy window put at the considerate level for a certain shinigami cat burglar to climb through. No such luck.

Choosing a direction, she plodded through the loose sand beside the longest wall she had ever seen in her life that had to stubbornly stretch in both directions for what seemed miles upon miles, when, glory be, a hole suddenly opened up in front of her. Heart in her throat, Momo stumbled back and fell, rather than leaned against wall while waiting with baited breath wondering what had caused the hole.

In seconds, a small group of strange-looking hollows came trooping out of the opening. She couldn't help but stare because it was the first time she had seen this new variety. Momo was not one of the those shinigami regularly sent to the human world to fight hollows, but the ones she had seen were nothing like this. They also didn't look like the pictures circulated showing the more human form of the arrancar. These looked like a version caught in some bestial transformation between the two versions.

The group stood for a moment arguing back and forth. Since no one even glanced her direction, she assumed that the shield was still doing its job. However, the big concern here was the trail of footprints trailing behind her. If any of them noticed she was sure they would be curious as to what it was that could have made them. To her immense relief none of them even glanced in that direction, instead, they set off at an angle ninety degrees from the wall. She waited until they disappeared over a nearby dune before summoning up the courage to dart into the tunnel. The timing couldn't have been more perfect as the wall closed up just as she slipped in.

At any other time, the first thing she would have done was to investigate the surroundings, but not having any experience with this world, she was afraid that the tunnel might start closing down on her. With visions of being trapped filling her head, Momo flash-stepped down the tunnel in a race to leave the opening as far behind her as possible. When it became obvious that the tunnel was not going to close and collapse she slowed to a walk to catch her breath.

It was dim in the tunnel but not pitch black. Situated in the ceiling every several hundred feet or so was a low level light panel that glowed faintly. One could not read by this light but once one's eyes were accustomed to the dimness it was relatively easy to move steadily forward.

It wasn't long after that she arrived at the end of the tunnel where it connected with another tunnel. She paused trying to figure out which direction she should turn. It would have been nice if there had been a sign posted to point the way, "This way to Aizen's den of doom', yes that would have been handy indeed.

Uncertain, she peered down one way and then the other, noticing the obvious difference between the two tunnels. The one in front of the petite shinigami looked newer and the other difference was that the ceiling was made of smoothed stone rather than raggedly carved out of rock. Also, this one featured light sources set in the ceiling closer together so it was easier to see. Looking down at the floor, she noticed that this floor was made of paved stones and not the gritty dirt of the floor behind her.

_Which way to go, which way to go?_ Momo hoped she wouldn't be reduced to playing 'rock, paper, scissors' with herself. That would just be silly.

However, even with more light, neither hallway gave any hints as to which direction led to the more populated areas. As she stood there chewing on a thumbnail trying to decide what to do, she thought she heard a noise. Freezing for a second before ducking back into 'her' tunnel she placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart. Even though she was cloaked, not standing out in the open seemed the smart thing to do.

At first it was hard to identify the noise or even from which direction it was coming from for the noise echoed and bounced off the walls, but she could tell that with each passing second it was growing closer. Momo leaned back against the cool surface of the wall, which felt good against her sweaty back. Then, taking in and then letting out a small, steadying breath, she leaned a bit so her head poked out to peer around the corner. She saw, in the distance, two figures heading her way. Panicking, she ducked her head back and closed her eyes telling herself to get control and not go to pieces because they couldn't see her, besides, she doubted that action heroes or cat burglars felt any fear. She managed to calm the trembling in her legs with a wry thought; _my knees are not very brave! _Remembering the noisy spheres in her sack, she gripped the top of it tightly until they were jammed together without risk of clinking and alerting anyone to her presence if she should happen to move (or tremble).

Then a flash of dread and imminent danger made her press firmly against the side of the tunnel. Fear was making her breath come faster and heavier while her heart was ready to beat its way out of her chest. Momo tried to control her breathing so it didn't give away her position. Automatically she reached down to touch Tobiume's pommel for comfort before remembering Tobiume was hanging over her shoulder in the same manner as Hitsugaya wore Hyourinmaru. She stifled the large breath of relief and instead, reached up and touched the hilt of her zanpakutou. That did more for soothing her nerves than anything else.

The voices were growing louder and the female shinigami froze, and then fear threatened to engulf her once again until she dropped her gaze to the ground at her toes and kept her eyes fixed there. Some innate sense told her that was the only way to keep safe even if she couldn't be seen. Every iota of her being was desperate not to be sensed and Momo studied her toes as if she had never seen them before. For it was true that some possessed the uncanny ability which let them know when someone was observing them and could even go so far as to turn in the direction from where the watchful gaze originated. This was not a good time to be thinking about such things and an uncontrolled and nearly inaudible squeak escaped her. Horrified, Momo clutched her hands over her mouth to keep from making any more accidental noises.

Thankfully her breathing had calmed to a normal rate by the time the voices were even with her. Even though her knees were still shaking under her hakama, the Fifth's vice-captain was starting to think she might actually live through this harrowing moment in time.

There were only two of them and one was speaking in a normal tone of voice where the other one was louder, more arrogant and hostile sounding. For herself, Momo knew that if the owner of that particular voice were speaking to her, she wouldn't feel safe unless Tobiume was unsheathed and unsealed between them.

Soon, not only the voices could be heard but also footsteps making a whisking sound on the gritty stone floor as they moved ever closer. Once the voices were a few steps past her, she felt it was safe enough to look up and slightly lean to peer around the corner.

The taller of the two figures was looming over the smaller one, snarling something down at the shorter one who didn't seem to notice the menace underlying the taller one's voice. If he did hear it, he was ignoring it. In fact, in Momo's opinion he was taking it with a cool, indifferent attitude with his hands tucked into his pockets and a slight slouch in his posture.

The taller of the two strange beings was very tall with an oval shaped collar that rose from the back of his uniform that could be mistaken for a hat, which nearly scraped the ceiling. Both were males and clad in white outfits but each one's uniform was different, setting them apart from one another.

The maybe-hat was sort of spoon-shaped and, in Momo's opinion, was ridiculous looking. When a giggle threatened to erupt she reached over and gave herself a hard pinch. The slight pain helped to circumvent the threatened giggle. Looking again at the spoon-shaped collar or hat, made her smile and her eyes crinkle. She let that fill the place where panic and fright had been residing so that the crushing weight of both were briefly lifted. Once again, Momo was the carefree and lighthearted shinigami assistant captain of the Fifth.

At that very moment, the shoulders of the smaller arrancar went rigid and he halted in place. The taller one kept walking a few more steps before noticing and then also came to a stop. Curious, he looked over one thin shoulder at his companion. Seeing the smaller one turn around and stare back down the hall, he also stopped and turned. Following the smaller one's gaze, his face also turned in Hinamori's direction in search of whatever it was that caught the attention of the smaller one.

Not seeing anything that could be deemed suspicious he scornfully asked, "What is it this time, Princess, Another one of your premonitions?" Although he asked, it didn't stop him from taking another look behind the smaller one's shoulder. Again, not seeing anything that warranted concern, he sneered down at his companion.

_Oh! Not shinigami and not hollow! So this is what arrancar look like!_

Recovering quickly from her momentary shock, Momo noticed the interaction between the two and wondered at it. It was strange that the shorter of the two arrancar didn't react when sneeringly mocked at by the other's tone and insults. That alone told Momo that the smaller male was definitely not worried, concerned, or in any way felt threatened by the elongated arrancar or his open hostility and aggressive disdain. To be able to walk with such relaxed confidence, the smaller one must be insane or very, very powerful.

As the smaller arrancar's slow gaze scrutinized the hall behind them, he acted as if the other one wasn't even there.

Momo's eyes widened. Now that his gaze was sweeping near her, she couldn't help but feel the overflow of an immense and weighty power being held in check by an equally powerful self-control. Now she knew why smaller one was totally cool and relaxed in the presence of the tangible hostility that oozed from the taller arrancar sporting the strange spoon-hat. This one, with his strange mournful regard was a force to be reckoned with.

As she stood frozen and afraid to make a noise, it was then Hinamori noticed the smaller of the two wore some kind of helmet that only covered one side of his head. And oddly enough, this helmet looked like it was made of bone with a horn sticking out of it. It was part of a hollow mask covering part of his head, while the other half was covered in black hair down past his jaw.

Thoughts of peculiar hats and arrancar specifics went out the window as his eyes swept over the spot where she quivered, praying he wouldn't sense her. Even though he shouldn't be able to see her, Momo felt caught in the gaze of the smaller arrancar.

Was it her imagination or did his eyes pause for just a second at the place where she was standing? Just when it seemed for sure that he knew she was there, his huge, sad eyes, with what looked like dark green tear stains running down his cheeks, shifted away and only then did Momo's heart resume beating again.

Slowly the unsettling, green-eyed gaze swept back and forth, probing the shadows, seeking the cause of the strange sensation nagging at him.

The other, taller one walked back to his side, and again scanned the area. This time Momo could see that he wore a patch covering the left eye. Of the two of them, the shinigami could tell that the smaller one was more powerful, but no one needed to point out to her that the taller one was nothing but pure evil. The unbridled arrogance showed in every line of his narrow face while the cruel mouth twisted down in contempt. That was only the surface impression! Instinctively Momo shrank against the wall feeling kin to defenseless prey in the company of merciless and hungry predators. N ever had she felt so vulnerable and trapped.

"What's bothering you Ulquiorra?"

Although it was a question the sneer was evident in the tone of voice. The taller was leaning over the smaller one in a menacing manner. If Momo had been the one he was leaning over, she would have felt her life was in imminent danger, but strangely enough, the one named Ulquiorra didn't even glance up. In fact, he didn't give any sign of taking note of the person beside him, let alone the killing aura the other was giving off.

However, the one named Ulquiorra must have heard, for after a long pause he answered, "Just for a moment, I felt... something… " his soft voice trailed off as his melancholy eyes scanned to and fro.

Then, with a dismissing jerk of his chin, he turned back around and started walking away. The tall one stood a moment longer in contemplation, the small black eye darting back and forth in suspicion before finally turning back to follow Ulquiorra. With his long stride, it didn't take him long to catch up with the other. This time the two did not talk at all as they continued down the tunnel together.

Dangerous or not, Momo intended to follow these two. Her light brown eyes narrowed in thought for she was willing to bet that these two arrancar were higher up in Aizen's organization than the group who exited the wall earlier.

Giving them a good head start before following, Momo took the time to reach down and pick up a sharp-edged stone. A few inches from the floor she scraped a mark in the wall. She might not be lucky enough to find a guide for the way back so hopefully none of the arrancar would notice her scratch down this low.

Straightening up from her task, she noticed the two arrancar were already quite a distance from her. Breaking out in a jog, Momo started after them, returning her hand to grip the top of the sack of globes so the taut leather held them firmly in place to keep them from rattling as she followed after the male arrancar. As she made her way after them, she also made sure to be alert for any irregularities in the floor so she didn't trip and cause a ruckus. It didn't take any imagination whatsoever to know that the resulting crash would be a loud one. That would be bad; the kind of bad she didn't even want to think about.

After traveling for what seemed to Momo like miles and miles, the hallway came to a juncture where the tunnels ended and normal hallways started. The shinigami was heartened by the sight and again waited until the two arrancar rounded a corner before moving forward. Again she bent down and was about to scratch a mark the wall, when all of a sudden white fabric appeared scant inches from her nose!

She didn't breathe; she _couldn't _breathe! Momo could only stare at the white clad knee in wide-eyed horror.

"Well? Satisfied?" came the scornful whisper of the spoon-hat wearer.

His voice slithered down into her ears and again caused her heart to beat faster. Slowly, not because she was in any way that brave of a person, but more driven by morbid curiosity, she lifted her face until it was tilted far enough back to catch the sight of the two arrancar directly above her. They were looking back down the tunnel, and over her head, which she hoped with every fiber of her being would remain unknown to them.

Momo knew she was invisible, knew they couldn't see her, and definitely knew for sure that they did not know that she was directly under their heads, yet, she couldn't keep herself from praying. She wished she could yank her eyes away but like a fledgling1 caught in a trap and seeing the predator moving in, she couldn't move a muscle even if she wanted to. This was when the shinigami knew the truth. She was not brave, oh no, not at all. Telling oneself "courage" every now and then was a whole different story when actually _**in **_a fright-inducing situation. It was one thing to trot around the Soul Society and commit little acts of derring-do, but it was quite another to do it right under the enemy's noses.

Right then Hinamori's heart was beating so fast she was certain it was going to leap right out of her chest. If she got out of this alive, she promised she would be the most law-abiding shinigami in the history of the Soul Society. With all her being she prayed for them to turn around and walk away.

But the shorter one called Ulquiorra just stood there taking his own sweet time searching the hallway behind Momo's shoulder. To her it appeared that he wasn't just looking, but it was as if his entire being was focused on piercing the veil of shadows and solving what was niggling at him.

Momo ever so slowly tilted her head down again until her eyes were gazing at two white clad legs in front of her. In fact, the leg in front of her was so close that if she had the misfortune to sneeze, it would ruffle the material of Ulquiorra's hakama. That thought was so disturbing that she looked back up to watch the interaction going on above her.

"What were you expecting, a shinigami?"

Momo started at the creature's cruel laughter and couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her back. Still, she kept hunched over ready to outwait them until they saw fit to leave.

Finally, after a century of waiting, or so it seemed to Momo, the green-eyed Ulquiorra finally spoke in his expressionless voice saying, "No Nnoitra, I am not. What I am feeling, it is an irritant, like an itch I cannot reach."

The other one snorted contemptuously.

It finally dawned on her what the taller one named Nnoitra reminded her of was a praying mantis ready to snatch its prey and pull it in close to leisurely consume. She repressed a shudder.

"Something is amiss but I cannot tell what it is."

He looked down at the ground, his gaze slanted off to the side away from Nnoitra and then shook his head but the movement was so slight that if Momo had not been looking directly at him, she would have missed it.

"Come Nnoitra, Aizen-sama awaits our report."

"Why? He ain't here to read them and won't be back for a while, so why bother handing in our reports now? Even if he did, he always makes us tell him in person. I don't think he even reads the things. Seems like a big waste of time to me." The menace behind the leer was so evident that Momo wondered why Ulquiorra wasn't threatened by it.

All this time, the green-eyed arrancar had simply ignored the taller one's attitude as something beneath him, unworthy of his attention, so it shocked her that with a movement so quick that it was sensed more than seen, the one called Nnoitra was pinned against the opposite wall being crushed. All Ulquiorra was doing to pin him was holding a palm straight out in front of him. Momo could sense the outpouring of crushing reiatsu and stared, her light cinnamon eyes wide with astonishment at this feat. From her vantage point, she could see the side of Ulquiorra's face and it hadn't changed from the constant sorrowful look.

"Whaa…" Started Nnoitra but Ulquiorra cut him off.

Speaking in a calm, composed voice Ulquiorra threatened quietly, "You will never speak of Aizen-sama using that tone of voice ever again, whether you are in my presence of not."

It was eerie to hear the tone spoken without a hint of heated passion, but Ulquiorra not only spoke quietly but his somber expression didn't change either. In that instant, Momo knew he could kill the taller arrancar with ease; in fact at this moment in time, the arrancar Nnoitra's life hung in the balance depending on his answer.

"Sorry," and it looked like it hurt him to say that for the thin, cruel lips were twisted in bitterness and his eyes glowed with hate and venom, "I didn't mean to slight our lord and master in any way."

Momo wondered if Ulquiorra believed him, she knew she didn't. Looking back and forth between the two she feared a battle was in the making.

"You lie. I would kill you now but I haven't been given that privilege. For now, you will live Nnoitra, but keep in mind that from this time on I will not hesitate to kill you if you speak ill of Aizen-sama again, whether I have permission or not." And with that, he lowered his hand releasing Nnoitra from the wall.

"Got it, sorry, should have watched my words. Besides, Aizen-sama will help us annihilate the shinigami once and for all so you know that I am for him and his plans."

"As you should be no matter what they are," replied Ulquiorra evenly.

Ulquiorra turned without waiting for a reply and started walking down a larger and well-lit hall. Nnoitra waited a beat longer, a snarl on his lips and one hand bunched into a fist. For second, Momo thought he was going to attack the green-eyed arrancar from behind, but instead; he slowly released his clenched hand and lowered it down to his side.

Then his one small black eye passed back and forth over the mouth of the tunnel one last time before he spat on the ground with a look of contempt. Having expressed his ire, he turned and began walking in the same direction as the one-horned arrancar.

**The Color of Death**

Only when their footsteps faded did Momo feel the freedom to reach up and lay a hand over her rapidly beating heart. _I can't believe how close that was! If this keeps up, I'm going to have a heart attack before this is all said and done. Some action hero I'm turning out to be! Stupid Renji, stupid movies, stupid heroes! I'm so scared I'm about to pee in my hakama! _Still crouched down, she closed her eyes and with a sigh of relief, leaned her head against the cool of the wall for a moment. After a few breaths, the shinigami opened her eyes and then with a shaking hand the assistant captain scratched a small mark on the stone inches up from the floor.

Momo sat crouched there for a moment longer before remembering that she was going to follow these arrancar and didn't that sad-looking one mention that they had reports to hand in? Even if Aizen was not in residence, it still might mean they were heading to a sensitive area where she might find information about the upcoming war. Gathering up the tattered shreds of her courage, Momo rose on shaking legs and forced herself start after them and then broke out in a trot so she could catch up. However, after drawing close, this time she made sure to keep a safe distance away from them. She doubted her heart could endure the trauma of another encounter like the previous one!

Soon they were turning down different corridors and each time Momo made sure to mark the place where the turn was. Also, each new hallway they traveled down was a little nicer, and better lighted than the previous one.

As they traveled inward, they began running into more arrancar. Momo knew she had made a good, albeit risky, choice to follow these two. They were definitely high up on the food chain since every one they passed bowed deferentially to the two. Neither arrancar gave any sign that they noticed the honor being given them from lower level arrancar or hollows of various shapes, sizes, and descriptions, but one time two small scurrying servants approached them, each carrying a load of books and papers. As they drew close, one bowed his head while the other barely tipped his. Nnoitra lashed out an arm so quick that Momo hardly was able to follow it. The blow left the servant who didn't show the right amount of respect on the ground with blood running from his head while the papers he had been carrying flew about and floated to the ground. The second one stopped and stared down at his companion but not in the horrified shock that Momo expected to see, or what she herself was feeling right then. To her consternation, all the other did was bend over and start picking up the other one's scattered papers and start adding them to his own pile.

Momo felt sick to her stomach, knowing the one struck was already dead. This wasn't done on a battlefield against an enemy, but in a place that was supposed to be home, a safe place! It was a cruel and ruthless attack merely for the sake of wounded vanity. This little occurrence may be something that was normal in the Hueco Mundo but Momo was repelled by the callousness of the act from the one with the spoon collar. He didn't bother to comment nor did he even break stride.

Momo instinctively bent to help pick up the papers and realized that to the surviving servant it would look like sheets of paper were floating in the air at knee level. Hoping that he didn't notice, she placed the sheets back on the floor. Looking up to the servant's face, she saw that his chin, part of his jaw up past his eyebrow, along with his eye was covered by remnants of a bone mask. Curious, she wanted to rap her knuckles on the mask remnant to see if it was glued on or not, but the cautious side of her won out and she kept her hands to herself. Rising quietly and careful to step over the scattered paper and around the servant, she quickly left the scene and made her way after her two guides.

Now the pair traveled up and down staircases and down more hallways than she could count until Momo was thoroughly and completely lost, thank goodness she had the marks to point the way out.

The thing she had vaguely noticed before was that everything was made out of white stone. Now that they were traveling in better-lighted areas one would have expected to see some other color besides white, but everything was white, the walls, ceiling, and even the floors were white. _Everything _was white, like the uniforms of the arrancar, white, white, white (with some accents of gray and black scattered here and there). It never occurred to her that white could be so… boring, no that word wasn't quite right. Oppressive, yes that was it.

Momo finally realized she had come to a stop as she stared up, gawking at the vast and soaring high ceilings, pillars, and archways. The towering architecture of the place was unbelievable and beautiful, but still, so sterile and cold. Noticing that two high-ranking arrancar were pulling ahead, she scampered to catch up with them.

As she drew closer, she noted that the tall, lanky one, what was his name again, oh, Nnoitra, wasn't talking anymore but had lapsed into a sullen silence. Maybe Ulquiorra had scolded him earlier before she had caught up with them. Whatever the reason, neither spoke. Nnoitra seemed uncomfortable with the silence but not so Ulquiorra. _He's one, that for the most part keeps his thoughts to himself, _noted Momo.

It was then she felt it, a deep, heavy reiatsu; the sudden weight of it caused her to stumble, but she managed to catch herself by placing a palm against the wall. Could that be Aizen? No, although it was familiar it wasn't him. And then suddenly, the import of what she was trying to do overcame her and she was relieved beyond belief that she wouldn't have to meet up with her old captain. It was obvious she was no match for him, indeed it was like being a small flea trying to outwit a mighty and intelligent captain who was more powerful than Kurosaki was when he defeated Kuchiki taicho. From the things the nurses told her back when she was in the hospital ward, Aizen had stopped Kurosaki's blade with a finger. Just _one _finger! One. Finger. Just one. What was she trying to do here anyway?

Pressing on her was the knowledge that it was for only so long that she would be able to hold up the kido shield hiding her. At first, when creating this new technique, the kido shields were pathetic, but now, she was certain that they could easily top any soul reaper's shield, even those from the Kido Division. It wasn't arrogance on her part, Momo was incredible at kido and she had worked long and hard to get her strength and stamina to the place where she could keep her shields up all day if she needed to. Although she was hoping desperately that she wouldn't need to.

Then that certain face shone in her mind as if a bright silvery blue light was emanating from within him. _I am giving fear too much of a foothold! I can't let it hinder me! _Momo refused to let its numbing power turn her back into a quivering, sad, useless excuse of a shinigami. This was her time for setting things to rights and if she could find anything, anything at all that could cause Aizen some grief or slow him down any with his preparations for war, then it meant the ones she loved; along that that special one, would get just that much more time to live and make preparations.

However, right at the moment, the reiatsu was growing in strength and was unbelievably heavy. Her knees were shaking, yet the two arrancar merely stopped in front of a large pair of gold-handled double doors between two huge pillars, pulled them open and walked through. They didn't seem to be affected by it at all. Momo lifted a palm and leaned against the wall, seeking just a moment of respite. At this point, she didn't care if she became separated from her guides or not.

Finally, when the shielded shinigami decided to press on despite the crushing weight of the reiatsu, it abruptly lifted. With a relieved sigh, she was about to push off from the wall when the sound of footsteps coming her way echoed down the hall. Momo darted across the hall and hurried to the nearest pillar and hid in the cramped space behind it. Visible or invisible, she couldn't seem to override the survival instinct to hide when danger threatened.

**A Map Would Be Handy About Now**

"This is ridiculous. No matter which way we turn all we can see is sand," grumbled Renji, "I can't figure out why Aizen picked this crummy place to be his base of operations. Pretty dismal if you ask me because if I were going to elect myself king of everything, I would pick something with a lot more class than this! Like something that had a hot tub, yachts parked out front and a huge beach."

"It's supposed to be dismal!" snapped Rukia.

Her nerves were tight as a bowstring and the waiting was getting to her. It was understandable that Captain Ice Cube was silent and uncommunicative, but having Ichigo standing right next to him doing the same thing as if he was some kind of strange orange-haired clone, well, not only was it unexpected but it was starting to piss her off. She was used to Ichigo's way of dealing with problems. The whole pounce-first-and-ask-questions-later was more his style, not this stare silently at the scenery around them until it bows in submission to their penetrating glare!

Her violet blue eyes studied the backs of both men standing on the crest of the dune. At least Ichigo would answer them when they asked him a question. All Hitsugaya would do was answer them with a mere grunt.

Tired of staring at the two, she turned to Renji as they trudged up the dune, "I hate sand. It's getting in my socks and rubbing against my skin."

"I hear ya," replied Renji. "I would hate to have to fight on this kind of terrain. You sink into it and that slows you down. And right now I got sand between my toes! I hate this place! What the hell was Momo thinking anyway!" He shook a foot for emphasis and Rukia's lip turned up in a slight grin while silently agreeing with him.

Once they reached the top both were surprised to find how winded they were.

"See anything interesting?" inquired Renji as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Actually, we do," Hitsugaya informed them, surprising both Rukia and Renji who lifted their eyes to scan the immediate area.

"Over in that direction, coming toward us," supplied Ichigo, nodding straight in front of him.

Rukia shaded her eyes with a hand and Renji squinted trying to make out what the other two were seeing. To them it looked like a herd of ants racing their way.

"Finally! Something to take my mind off the sand! Let's meet 'em halfway! Seems like the neighborly thing to do," said Renji and then added darkly, "Before we split their heads in two."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Rukia.

"Wait," interjected Hitsugaya, and for the first time since arriving, he turned and looked at them. "You two meet them head on. I will come in from behind and Kurosaki will come in from the side. That way we can trap them between us. We will keep one alive though, understand?"

Everyone nodded without saying anything; they didn't need to, as they already knew what they were going to do and what was going to happen. Zanpakutou were unsheathed and the sunlight glanced off the blades in luminous shards like mirrors being held to the sun. This was to announce their presence and make sure that the patrol kept heading in their direction. Once they knew the enemy was heading for them, they moved back down on the far side of the ridge, cutting off the enemy's view of them.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Always."

"Ready to do damage."

"Bring 'em on!"

With a nod to each other, they split up.

**Thank You For Thinking of Me**

"I told you to keep that one alive!"

"You said nothing of the sort! All you said was, _'Mind your step!' _ Thanks by the way, since the only the thing here I could possibly trip over is _SAND_!"

"Idiot! What I said was, 'blind from sweat!'"

"Dude! That doesn't even make sense!"

"I knew you two lunkheads would screw this up! I should have watched you both more closely!'

"Cease this bickering! We failed to acquire a prisoner this time, but there will be other patrols." Everyone felt a chilly draft brush against their skin and took it for what it was, a warning.

"Consider this a trial run. We will not fail a second time."

* * *

1) fledgling - the meaning of one of the kanji in Hinamori's name. Like the puns and word play on the names, yeah, I'm a dork that way.

_until next chapter then..._

_kio tsukete_

_-Dwellin_


	10. Deceitful Are the Kisses of An Enemy

To my friends with sharp eyes! Where would I be without my wonderful betas? millythompson and Aine of Knockaine. Not posting probably!

Once again, except for the plot, I don't own this. Bleach is owned and operated by the fabulous Tite Kubo.

Updated: 9/20/20

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Deceitful Are the Kisses of An Enemy**

**Where Giants Walk**

Momo peeked out from her hiding place. Only moments earlier a group of guards had come tromping down the hall and she had ducked, once again, behind one of the pillars by the door, even though they couldn't see her. The little shinigami couldn't help it; every nerve, sinew, and cell was screaming for them to hide. Once the troop passed by, Momo leaned her forehead against the cool, white marble. She was quickly developing a tension headache.

_All I want to do right now is lie down with a cold cloth on my head. I'm not cut out for all this sneaking and spying. After this, I am going home and hanging up my mask. _Momo thought and then sighed wistfully as the mental picture of her quarters came to mind causing an ache in her chest that was almost physical. What she would give to be curled up on her couch reading a lurid romance; from Matsumoto's extensive library of course!

When her heart stopped pounding and she felt less unnerved, Momo took a step out from behind the pillar when the sound of something like the click and thud of a key being turned in a lock was made. Without giving it a thought, she darted back to her hiding place. Then the sound a dull metallic clunk followed by a door swinging open.

Momo leaned her head out far enough to see what was going on. Two servants carried out what looked like a dead body of one of their own. All three were dressed in the standard white uniform, which to her looked like it was the reverse of the shinigami black one. And just like each shinigami could tailor their uniform as they saw fit to their own unique personality, it appeared the same held true here. Everyone added a distinctive slant to their own shihakushous. All that is, except the lowliest of servants who looked pretty much the same from one to the other.

As the servants passed her she heard one of them say, "That Espada is in one bad mood."

"Who cares, as long we ain't the ones being aimed at," replied the other.

"He said it was called for since it was the war room."

"It wouldn't matter if it was the laundry; he kills whenever, wherever and for no reason, even for one of them."

"Huh." And with that their voices faded as the two disappeared down the hall with their burden.

_Another one! I bet it was Nnoitra again! He kills as casually and without remorse as someone would swat at a fly!_

Before they were out of earshot, she heard one complain they would have to come back and clean up the blood from the war room, yet again, before Aizen-sama returned.

_So this happens often?_

Lingering only long enough to make sure no one else was coming; Momo darted out from behind the pillar and raced to the door. Once there she quietly jiggled the door handle only to find it had locked after swinging shut. Only this door wasn't made out of stone like everything else was in this huge structure. It was a light-colored wood inlaid with gold and mother-of-pearl. It would have been beautiful but the subject matter featured hollows and arrancars shown torturing and eating human souls.

Dropping her eyes from the gruesome scenery, Momo glanced up and down the hall to make sure no one was within visual range. Then reaching down, she untied the string at the top of the bag. Taking out several spheres, her eyes flicked over the lock, studying it.

Licking her thumb she rubbed it against one sphere and then pushed it against the lock plate, which was also made of gold. Momo would have rolled her eyes if time was available, at the folly of using a soft metal in the creation of a lock. But as it was, she worked quickly since the spheres wouldn't stay glued long so she hurriedly set the others in place.

Normally, it would be a shame to mark up such a beautifully carved door but in this case the idea of ruining it didn't cause her any guilt in the least. It seemed to her it would be better to have a sturdier door marked 'private, keep out, this means you' posted on it. Also, shouldn't guards be placed on the outside beside the door to discourage people from wanting to wander through? A horrid thought popped up; what if, in spite of the fact, it was called a war room, it didn't hold anything worth being guarded?

_Stop it Momo! Don't make this worse than it is! _Because, if that was the case, it meant her quest wasn't finished. It would be just her luck if all the really sensitive material were filed in a root cellar or some cobwebbed-strewn, dusty attic. _Don't panic! First things first, it's useless to work oneself into a tizzy before the fact. _

Fingers moving swiftly and surely, it wasn't long before all the spheres she needed were set in place. Giving the lock, handle, and spheres a quick once-over, the shielded shinigami then hurried back to take cover behind the pillar. Once there, Momo strained her ears and senses for any sound of approaching feet. Not hearing anything, Momo gathered up her nerve, breathed out a quick chant and released the reiatsu in a centered burst directed into the door. No billowing smoke, no shards, no deafening bangs to alert guards, and no fuss, just a brief flash of light and it was done.

Momo could have kicked up her heels for joy. Her little invention worked! Take that Twelfth Division! Momo Hinamori inventor, Fifth Division! Oh yeah, eat _that_ Twelfth & you too Kurotsuchi! Yet in the middle of the self-congratulations, the newly dubbed grand inventor of the Seireitei was aware of the time being on the limited side (her shield wouldn't last forever and others could be coming this direction). So again she dashed to the door and placed her hand so the fingertips delicately touched the surface. The brown-haired girl turned her ear to listen but couldn't hear any sounds coming from within the room. Either no one was in there (what she was hoping for) or someone was being very quiet (which she fervently hoped was not the case).

Giving a little push, she was delighted when the door swung open on silent hinges, and whispered thanks to whichever saint watched over poor little shinigami cat burglars. As the door glided to a halt about halfway open, she leaned in and craned her neck to see into the room. From what the soul reaper could see the room appeared empty. There wasn't a sign of Ulquiorra or Nnoitra, which was a huge relief. She slid in and shut the door behind her before taking several wary steps into the room, alert for any sign of danger.

Once inside, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and Hinamori couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She noted on the far wall several giant paintings were hung. The main color was white with various shades of gray. Only by studying it closely could she make out the different scenes of hollows ripping apart and devouring souls, basically the same theme as the artwork on the door, only more violent, if that was possible. It made her uneasy so she turned away to study the rest of the walls, which were white (surprise, surprise), and on which hung immense maps. The whole atmosphere of the room created a sense of eeriness. Obviously no one came here to relax, but then, what did she know of hollows, arrancar and specifically Aizen, doing for relaxation. She shuddered. It was not something she wanted to think about.

Spotting a very large rectangular table, she padded silently over to it. Stopping in front of it, Momo could feel a vast weight pressing down on her from above. Not sure where this feeling was coming from, she tilted back her head to look up. Her jaw dropped in surprise. Craning her head back even further, she inspected a ceiling so high overhead she wouldn't have been surprised to see clouds forming and wondered if all the larger rooms were like this.

Finally, lowering her head to reduce the ache in her neck, Momo gave it a quick shake to clear it. The mission was to sneak in and steal, not gawk slack-jawed at the incredible architecture. It was then her eye caught the only bright color in the room. She hadn't seen it before because the table blocked her view, but there, standing out against the white floor was a pool of blood in the center of the room. That was where Nnoitra (just a wild guess) had killed the servant. Momo sighed and looked away. Had it only been minutes ago she was wishing to see some other color besides white? The little shinigami revised her opinion of Hueco Mundo. The only two colors here were white and shades of violence.

_It was only a hollow. It was only a hollow. _She chanted to herself, as if doing so would make the scene easier to handle. It didn't and finally she had to force herself to ignore the blood and scan the room. Scattered in various places all along the wall were large white tables, which is why she didn't notice them right away. The white-on-white theme tended to make everything blend together.

_This would drive me insane if I had to live here!_ Momo gave another shake of her head and continued to inspect the room.

Then, she noticed against the wall to the right, situated under a black and white map as easily as large as the Fifth's mess hall, a table with huge sheets of paper spread out on it while also cluttered with many scraps of paper.

_Great flaring reiatsu! This may be it!_

Momo hurried in the direction of the table and as she got closer, nearly gave a whoop of delight. She had hit pay dirt! There were maps of all sizes piled on top of each other in a haphazard fashion and over to the side were file boxes jammed full of papers. One could only hope it was a banquet for a spy to feast upon! Practically bouncing in place from glee Momo let herself enjoy a brief celebration of victory before getting down to work.

Swiftly but with deliberate thoroughness, Momo went through the papers and maps looking for something, anything, that would give the Soul Society an edge in the upcoming war. She snatched up many that looked, to her unsophisticated eye, like they were important and others she was unsure if they were valuable or not. Of course, the Council of Forty-Six, if they got the positions filled in time, would oversee the war efforts. At the moment, it was the Captain-general and the other captains of the Soul Society. Since she was not a tactician or a strategist in any sense of the word, the petite shinigami wasn't sure which of these papers the war effort would consider of vital importance or not. Quickly skimming over several of them she was disheartened to see that the language used wasn't one she was familiar with, but deciding to be safe than sorry, she placed them with others to be taken.

Just as she was folding and tucking away the odd assortment of communiqués, orders, spy reports, maps and ones she was undecided about into a hidden sleeve pocket, she froze in place. Did she just hear a noise? Or was she just easily spooked?

Tilting her head to the side and concentrating, the shielded shinigami listened but could not hear anything beyond the silence of a very large place. However, being a cautious soul, Momo stood in place, as wary as a fat mouse in a yard filled with slumbering hungry cats with the dinner bell about to ring. But as time ticked by not another sound was heard. Knowing she couldn't stand there indefinitely, Momo once again began looking over the information on the table. There were many papers that looked like they could be important, but she wasn't qualified enough to know which ones would make the difference between victory and defeat. Also, her hidden pocket could only so much. Momo patted her pocket making the paper crinkle, worried still about whether she was stealing the right ones or not. Hopefully, what she did have would make a difference; only those in positions of authority would be able to tell.

Turning, the shinigami started toward the door, and then pulled up short.

On the wall next to the door was a viewing monitor. _Not such a great infiltrator and spy after all_, she angrily scolded herself, ashamed she hadn't thought to look over her shoulder. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _Because, right there, as plain as the scar on Zaraki's face, was a huge screen split in two. One side showed a group of people fighting, and the other side was blank. Something about those people seemed… familiar…

As Momo drew closer to it, she realized, yes, the group was known to her and at that moment of realization, slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp of dismay. Then dropping her hand the slender female took several steps forward to make sure that she was seeing what she thought she was.

There, in living color were: Ichigo (no surprise there, who hadn't he tried to rescue yet?), Rukia (again no surprise, where Ichigo went, she was bound to follow), and also Renji (okay, she wasn't expecting him but upon reflection, it made sense he was with the other two), but then, her eyes went wide with alarm when they spotted the one person she didn't want to see at all, especially not here, and that person was Shiro-chan!

"Blast it all! Darn that Shiro-chan!" She slapped both hands over her mouth this time. Look what he just made her do! All this time sneaking around as silent as a mouse and now the shock of seeing him here in this god-forsaken place made her forget and blurt out her frustration with him!

And come to think of it, just why did he think _she _needed rescuing anyway? Did it look like she was some wilting flower in desperate need of rescuing? Was she trembling in a corner somewhere whimpering for someone to save her? Well, she had news for him! Momo Hinamori was an independent and self-reliant woman, not only had she earned her position as an assistant captain, but this soul reaper was also a valued member of the Shinigami Women's Association! So she was not some simpering little wretch of a captive and did not need rescuing thank you very much! Everything was under control and he would only mess things up for her. In fact, Toshiro just may end up needing to be rescued by her! So there!

Just then a voice spoke and her eyes bounced to the other side of the screen and upon seeing the image there, she nearly choked and swallowed her spit the wrong way. The screen was no longer blank, but filled with a familiar figure.

_Good grief, it's Ichimaru! Blast my rotten luck!_ Again, Momo did what she did best when shocked; held very, very still and made not a sound.

The smiling ex-shinigami appeared to be looking right at her, but who could tell for sure since his eyes were hard to see in those foxy little slits. Then a ghastly thought occurred to her, what if, for some reason, he _could _see her? Should she make a noise or say something? Or maybe the best thing to do would be to tiptoe toward the door and pretend she didn't see him. Oh yes, what an excellent plan! She, the self-reliant and independent shinigami who didn't need to be rescued, was going to do just that.

Taking a deep, but quiet, breath, she started moving slowly toward the door.

"I know yer there. I saw ya picking up the papers and we all know that papers don't float by themselves," said Ichimaru, and in a singsong voice he continued, "Besides, I could hear ya muttering to yerself."

_I did no such thing! Cat burglars do not mutter! It's unprofessional. _Momo thought angrily, hands clenched into fists at her side as she scowled back at his image. There it was again, his peculiar grin stretching across his face. It was hard to say for certain, but Ichimaru looked to be in a good mood. That made her shiver for what made Gin Ichimaru happy was sure to ruin someone else's day and right now, Momo was betting she was the preferred pick in the 'sucks to be you' contest.

There were two choices, she could stand here all day like an invisible, cowardly statue, or run like hell and get out of this insane asylum. Besides, surely wherever he was broadcasting from must be in some other location very far away, and, and… it would take him a while to get to where she was, right? Momo fervently hoped she was right. The invisible soul reaper was not about to wait until one of her least favorite people appeared on the scene. Sprinting for the door, she didn't care one whit if he heard or saw anything or not.

Grabbing the handle and flinging the door open she ran….

…. Into a very solid mass and bounced back.

"Oops."

Momo looked up and the blood ran cold in her veins.

_Why me? Why him?_ She thought as hands grasped her arms in a vice grip and lifted her high enough so her toes barely scraped the floor.

**Abandon All Hope**

It was Ichimaru.

"How…, Where…," Momo whispered weakly, flabbergasted and unpleasantly so, to be running, quite literally, into Gin Ichimaru like this.

With a quick glance she noted Ichimaru was not wearing his old soul reaper uniform, as if such a detail was an important fact at a time like this. Like everyone else, he was wearing a standard white uniform, but over it he wore a long white coat with bell-sleeves. Under that was a white shirt with the innermost layer next to his skin, a black yukata. Again, the whole uniform was white everywhere a shinigami uniform was black, and black where a shinigami's was white, except for his aqua-colored belt with the huge looping bow. Incredible, was Aizen so very determined to show his complete separation from the Soul Society to the point it was displayed even in the clothes they wore here? This would be fascinating to speculate on at another place and time but right now Momo was too busy trying to break free from his grip.

"Put me down!" She ordered and then glared at him forgetting it was a wasted effort because he couldn't see her. However, the ex-captain of the Third did set her back down, not that it did any good, his hold was like a vice grip.

He leaned down to place his cheek against hers and spoke softly into the small shell of her ear, "Ah, so it _is_ Momo-chan! At first from yer lack of stature I thought it might be that Kuchiki charity case. But lucky me to run into an old friend like this before ya had the chance to leave. Betcha didn't think I was right outside the door, didja? I think we oughta go back to my quarters and talk about old times?"

"No, no, and no; a hundred times no!" Momo disagreed, daringly even, as she lashed out with a foot hoping to connect with a shin. Ichimaru moved so that she ended up only grazing the side of his leg.

"Wha? Yer actually puttin' up a fuss? So unlike ya, Momo-chan!"

Momo didn't reply, refusing to be the compliant assistant captain he remembered. Instead, gritting her teeth Momo punched and kicked but to no avail. Ichimaru eluded them all.

Momo swore in frustration, "Damn you Ichimaru! Let me go!"

He was avoiding her attacks and he shouldn't be able to do that! Worse yet, he was chuckling as he did so!

Beginning to panic, Momo brought the heel of her foot down hard on Ichimaru's foot while twisting it as hard as she could while at the same time, pushing away from him.

When dealing with shinigami captain-class caliber, foot stomping was not listed as a recommended attack in a soul reaper's handbook of deadly assaults. On the other hand, Ichimaru wasn't expecting to have the tender part of his foot assaulted. In automatic response fox-faced man released the tight hold on the slight female's arms just enough for her to be able to twist out of his grasp. Quickly Momo hopped back away from him while telling herself any attack which takes the opposition by surprise is a good thing, whether recommended or not.

She watched the man closely, waiting for the most opportune moment before acting. When Gin straightened he said with a frown, "Fer such a weak little thing …"

Now!

Momo leapt and spun, snapping her fist to punch him in the face as hard as she could. Oh, but it was so satisfying to see his head snap back like that.

_Take that you bastard! _She hoped it knocked him out for a week!

Sadly, Momo was disappointed to see him only take a step back to keep his balance, but at least he was holding his nose in pain and she could see a slight trickling of blood through his fingers. Momo had never derived pleasure from inflicting damage on someone… until now. Maybe it made her a bad person, but Momo couldn't help the little flush of pride at punching Gin Ichimaru even if she had to be invisible to do it. In no way did it make up for all the pain he had caused her friends, but it was a start. Although, she had to admit, it would have been even more satisfying to see him rolling around on the floor holding his nose and moaning.

As she watched him, he merely wiped the blood off with his sleeve and then studied it with a little frown. Then the frown cleared away and once again the fox smile returned making goose bumps form on her arms. Unbelievable! He had just been hit in the face and now he was _smiling_?

With a chillingly disturbing smile still in place, he said, "For that, I'd kill ya and laugh while doing it, " (Momo had no doubts about _that_ at all.) "But it must be fate that yer here and I'm gonna make good use of it."

Oh she didn't like where this was going and started to scoot around him to get to the door. Then, as if a wind shoved it, the door swung shut with a click and she halted in her tracks stunned. The lock should have been broken from her earlier blast. How did he get it to work again? But then, maybe she shouldn't be surprised. Everyone knew that it usually took years for a student to graduate from the Soul Reaper Academy but Gin Ichimaru went through in one year! He was considered a prodigy, much like Toshiro, only without any morals to speak of. So, again, maybe she shouldn't be so surprised, but blast, why couldn't she get stuck in a room with a drooling idiot traitor instead of another genius? _That's my problem! I am surrounded by too many flipping geniuses!_

"Yer gonna deliver a message for me," said Ichimaru. He wasn't facing her even though Momo had the distinct impression he knew exactly where she was standing.

There was a pause and she wondered why he wasn't continuing until he finally said in a soft voice, "I'm being watched. The monitors rove from one room to another and right now they are on this one so I'd advise ya not to move or make any noise. Oh, nice trick by the way, we'll have to chat over tea sometime."

_Only in your wildest dreams_, thought Momo firmly, there was no way she would voluntarily get within a flash step of him, let alone have tea. Still, she took his advice seriously and kept quiet while wondering what could possibly be worse than meeting up with Gin Ichimaru. But why should she stand still, she was invisible right? It was a most disheartening feeling to realize how low one has sunk by the mere fact that this same one was listening to and taking a traitor's advice. Just when she decided that enough was enough and this was just another one of Ichimaru's tricks…..

From out of what looked like a solid wall at the far end of the room, an outline of a door appeared and then opened. Ulquiorra strolled through coming toward them. Momo was glad to see that his eyes were fixed on Ichimaru. Still, she couldn't help but shiver as the spiritual pressure of the room grew heavy and began pressing down on her shoulders.

"Why if it ain't muh dear comrade. Whaddya doin' here; lookin' for little ole me?" Ichimaru tilted his head in a friendly way, the grin stretching from one cheek to the other as he tucked his hands into the voluminous opening of his sleeves waiting for the other to draw near.

Ulquiorra stopped when he was still yards away, obviously not wanting to get too close to the Soul Society traitor and Momo didn't blame him one bit, in fact she wished she was far away from him as in, on-the-other-side-of-the-door, far away.

"Gin Ichimaru," stated the solemn arrancar.

"Oh look, Aizen-sama was right, they are trainable! Very good, and is it housebroken too?" asked Ichimaru with a smile seemingly full of affability and good-humor.

Again, the hair on the back of Momo's neck stood straight up under the building pressure. Any second now she was sure the two would spring at each other, kido blasting and blades slashing through the air, but they only stared as if they had accidentally bumped into each other on a pleasant Sunday walk-in-the-park. Maybe this was a good time to leave and she took a step.

"Don move, little mouse," ordered the grinning ex-shinigami even though he didn't look in her direction.

Momo halted in her tracks. On the other hand, maybe it was a good idea to wait and see what the outcome of this little meeting was before she made any major life decisions. But on the _other_ other hand, after seeing her friends on the screen, she was anxious to leave and get to them so they all could leave this place.

"Why Gin Ichimaru?" Ulquiorra said calmly.

_He thinks Gin was talking to him_, thought Momo as she turned her attention to the tear-stained arrancar, standing in his usual relaxed stance with hands tucked into his pockets.

Gin flapped hand at him, "Please, no formalities. Just call me Gin. After all, we're both working for the same person and have the same goal."

The silence stretched as Ulquiorra merely studied him.

"Do we indeed, Gin Ichimaru?"

Gin lost the grin and sighed deeply as if genuinely hurt by the other's question.

"Oh dear, it looks as if someone don' trust me and I wonder why? Ain't I been faithfully by Aizen-sama's side all these years? " He shook his head wonderingly, "And yet ya have misgivin's 'bout me."

"You only have your own interests in mind Ichimaru. But as long as your interests and Aizen-sama's interests coincide, you heed his voice. If the time comes when they don't, I will eliminate you."

Momo wondered at the toneless voice he was using. She couldn't hear any inflection in, nor could she hear any stress. To threaten Gin like that took a lot more daring than she ever possessed. Although, she did learn one thing about the emotionless arrancar: he was very touchy and very protective when it came to Aizen. This was the second dangerous person he had the gall to threaten with death for the sake of Aizen. Who said good help was hard to find?

"So what makes ya mistrustful of me, hmmm?"

Ignoring the question, Ulquoirra pointed out, "You have blood on your sleeve. Someone injured you and quite recently. Yet I see no one about. How unusual."

"Oh this?" Gin motioned to his nose with an indifferent gesture and grimaced. "Ran into something. Never saw it coming."

Then the grin was back in place and it occurred to Momo that Gin didn't need a hollow mask, his grin was already a mask he wore to fool others. It made them suspicious of him and diverted their attention from the person everyone should have been suspicious of, and that was Aizen.

"But yea, why doncha trust me, eh?"

Ulquiorra didn't answer right away, just stared at Gin with a steady dour gaze.

The extending silence was aggravating to the shinigami's nerves as she was already jumpy. And it was grating that Ulquiorra always took his own sweet time when it came to conversations. Right at the moment she didn't care if he was the most powerful arrancar in this world or the next, she was thoroughly sick of him. _C'mon, c'mon, just answer the question! _But as long as he was there, Momo knew the wisest thing to do was not make a move and not make a sound, however, it was proving to be difficult as every instinct she possessed was screaming at her to bolt from the room.

"You might want to put some ice on that." Ulquiorra studied Gin's face and then added, "To keep down the swelling." With no word of farewell, the arrancar turned and walked away at a leisurely pace.

"Bye, bye!" waved Gin after the retreating figure and kept waving long after the arrancar disappeared through the door at the back of the room.

Then he dropped his arm and tucked both hands back into this sleeves. The ever incessant smile was firmly in place but he managed to say in a soft tone out of the corner of his mouth, "Ah, Momo-chan, sorry to keep ya waiting. Follow me."

_Like hell I will!_ Momo emphatically thought. She was noticing that being around Gin was making her lose her inhibitions about cursing, especially when it involved him. But then he deserved it. And did fox-face honestly think that she was going to go with him anywhere? Ha, that was a laugh! The only 'following' that was going to take place was her following him out of the door and then she was going to hot foot it away from him at a high rate of speed. _Follow him, my foot! _Hissed her mental 'voice'.

Then in a movement she didn't see coming, he turned, whipped out an arm to snatch her wrist up and began walking toward the door in a casual manner.

Momo was shocked speechless and stumbled into his side. Since he tucked his hands (along with her left wrist) back in his sleeves she was forced to walk shoulder to shoulder with him because he had her left forearm tightly trapped between his arm and his side. All this so he could keep his hands in the sleeves giving off a natural and casual appearance in case anyone should cross their path.

_He's good,_ she reluctantly admitted, even as she tried to tug her hand free. The very last place she wanted to be was where they were heading.

"We're goin' to muh rooms, so I'd advise ya to come along like the obliging little assistant captain that ya are. The other alternative is ta put up a fight but I guarantee ya that ya'll not like the outcome."

"Oh shit," she murmured. First flushing hot, then cold, then hot again, Momo felt weak. How was she going to get out of this?

Then she looked up to see him smiling down at her but as they turned one corner there was a group moving toward them and he lifted his head to face them.

Starting to sweat from sheer fright, Momo was quite aware he didn't need to warn her to keep silent, he didn't have to, as that was always her main objective, sneak in and sneak out, be quiet as a mouse. The last thing she wanted (besides being dragged to Ichimaru's quarters) was to be caught.

As they passed the group, Ichimaru didn't even glance at them although they slowed and bowed respectfully to him. He was definitely another one high up on the food chain but no one who observed him for long would have any real doubts about that in the first place.

_Wait a minute_, she brightened with a thought, _I could always slap an energy-filled sphere on him and_… just then the walls of the hallway spun crazily around. When things were righted at last, she found herself draped across his shoulder and being carried.

Jovially, he said, "Now, now little Momo-chan! Yer forgettin' that we've been watching ya for years! We know more about ya than ya do about yerself. I could tell ya were about ta make some kind of move… Eh? And what's this?"

_**Damn it all to Hueco Mundo and back again! He found my bag! **_Momo fumed and then began beating on his back but tried to do it quietly, which defeated the purpose since it did about as much damage as a flea biting the underbelly of a whale. While she was thus occupied, Gin, with dexterous fingers, untied the sphere bag from her waist. Once he freed it from the shield about her, it appeared as if out of nowhere and he studied it curiously.

Forgetting her admonition to keep quiet, she snapped out, "That's mine, give it back!"

"Hmmm, I wonder whatcha been up to Momo-chan. Apparently ya're not quite as dim-witted as Aizen-sama thought ya were."

He shook the bag and gave it a look of interest when the contents made a clinking noise. For the first time ever, she was sure that the surprised inquisitiveness on Ichimaru's face was sincere.

"I can't wait ta see what's in here! Lookit Momo-chan, here we are, not a moment too soon!"

With that remark, he crossed to a door that could barely be discerned from the rest of a long wall as nothing about it called attention to itself. In fact, the door was set so smoothly and tightly in the wall it could be easily overlooked. He opened it with a quick, under-the-breath chant and applying a staccato burst of reiatsu in a complicated rhythm, all this let Momo know he obviously wasn't a very trusting sort of person. It all came back around to that old saying, _"Those who can't be trusted, don't."_ Once they were in and the door shut behind them, he crossed over to an overstuffed leather couch and unceremoniously dumped her on it.

She couldn't refrain from issuing a small sound of pain when her back landed on Tobiume. _There's gonna be a bruise there tomorrow! _It was really uncomfortable sitting this way, with her zanpakutou jammed between her shoulder blades and the couch. With a wince she shifted a little, moving the sheath more to the side where it wouldn't poke into her so much. Momo dared to look up and found the grinning ex-captain looking at the space where she was sitting, and swallowed hard. No one liked it when Ichimaru grinned like that.

After studying what had to appear, to him, as an empty space, Ichimaru leaned closer to place both hands on the back of the couch so that his arms caged her in. Finally, he said in a voice that was deceptively smooth and genial but brooked no disobedience, "Drop the shield."

She shrank back into the pillows desperately seeking to increase the distance between them. Her light brown eyes darted to either side weighing the odds of escape. They weren't good, in fact, more like impossible.

So flummoxed for the time being, Momo's plans of escaping vanished when she looked back up into his face. The sight nearly made her gasp. For the first time ever, she saw his eyes even if they were barely visible in the slits. Funny, she would have expected them to be red but no, his eyes were several circles of blue in rings around his pupil. The one next to the pupil was the darkest hue, and from there the blue circles faded into a lighter blue with each outer ring. The last ring, so light a blue that it was nearly white, was separated from the whites of the eye by a black circle. They were, she decided unable to break his gaze, the most hypnotic eyes she had ever seen.

Suddenly the connection was broken when he turned, leaving her to feel rather foolish for staring up into his eyes like a love struck schoolgirl. She was thankful when he walked toward a desk several feet away on the same wall as the couch. Remembering the order, she was actually relieved to drop the shield. This would save her reiatsu and give her a break before she escaped, and she was damn sure counting on escaping, somehow. From the corner of her eyes, Momo snuck a look at the tall, lean ex-soul reaper, wondering how to elude him, because at the moment, the escape plans were a little on the vague side.

Now that she was visible, Momo wondered why he didn't take away her zanpakutou. She was sure he noticed the sword rising up over her shoulder, but he didn't comment on it. This stung her pride more than anything else he could have done. Obviously, he didn't think she was much of a threat and still saw her as the easily duped Hinamori of years gone by.

As for Gin, once he moved away from her and stood in front of the desk, the ex-captain gently placed the bag down on the surface. With care, long thin fingers loosened the strings and opened the top so he could see what was inside. Deeming what he saw to be safe enough, one hand reached in and pulled out one of the small globes. Holding it up to the light with a thoughtful frown, he studied it carefully before chuckling. Then turning the sly fox grin that was his trademark toward her, he carried the small sphere back with him to Momo who was waiting on the couch, stomach aching from the nervous tension.

The female shinigami was positive that even if attempted she would not be able to open the door on her own. _This is bad! This is __**so **__bad! I am stuck in Gin Ichimaru's private room! Can it get any worse than this? _Instantly a horrid thought struck her and she shot a fearful glance to the door at the other end of the room and caught sight of the bed. She clasped the front of her shirt, trying to control her panicky breathing.

So wrapped up in her own private hell, Momo didn't even notice when Ichimaru sat down next to her.

He studied the petite female, quite aware of her state and the cause of it. His mouth twitched in amusement, knowing that Hinamori was just skirting the edge of panic, which meant that she would be all that much more fun to tease.

In the past, Ichimaru had found this particular lieutenant to be rather boring to toy with after a certain point. His opinion of Aizen's lieutenant was that she was rather one-dimensional for his more clever jests and teasing remarks were always met with an uncomprehending look as if she was waiting for him to get to the punch line or explain the joke. But this, well, he was forced to admit it for what it was, creativity on her part that was highly unexpected! Maybe he needed to re-evaluate his judgment of her. He looked at her askance, from the corner of his eye. Who would have guessed that this rather dull little shinigami even possessed a creative side?

He lifted up one of the glowing blue balls in his long, thin fingers and then moved it until it was in front of her. Her huge, frightened eyes traveled to the ball and then back to his face, waiting for him to speak first.

Momo couldn't tell if he was looking at her or the ball that he was holding up between them and slowly rotating in his fingers. Did he want her to explain her invention? Playing subtle little games like this was not Momo's strong suit.

"My estimation of ya has skyrocketed Momo-chan. I'm most impressed. Ya snuck in, somethin' ya never would'da done in the past, and then ya went tiptoein' around da place behind a first-class shield. Ya amaze me, ya do. And then these beautiful little explodin' devices, who'dda thought?"

He paused to give her time to answer but she lowered her eyes to her lap where her hands were now clasped in a white-knuckled grip. "Ah no need to be afraid, I'm just curious." She could feel his gaze resting on her.

_Oh goody... Ichimaru has a higher opinion of me than he used to. The life of crime I have resorted to has paid off! _

"Well, I can see we're gonna to be here for hours if this keeps up."

With that he offhandedly lobbed the ball onto some animal's pelt rug on the floor. It landed with a dull bump noise but didn't roll, as the thick fur caught it. She watched as if mesmerized until a long thin hand, but unbelievably strong, grasped her chin and forced her to face him. _For being as long-limbed as he was, one would expect him to be more…. fragile_, thought Momo. But there was nothing fragile about him right at the moment, which was a darn shame.

A lopsided grin formed and he said, "Ya think I'm weak?" He released her chin so she could answer. He watched her, amused.

Her mouth wanted to drop to the floor, was he some kind of mind reader? She kept, what she hoped, was a neutral expression while facing him, but apparently he wasn't fooled by it. Then he sat down next to her, his thigh pressed against hers and again took her chin captive. Momo's face went white with dread.

"Oh jes 'cause I don' have muscles riding on top of muscles don' mean dat I can't hold my own in a fight." He chuckled at her apprehension and said, "Yer a cute one Momo-chan!"

She managed to spit out, "N… no I'm not!" and would have scooted away from him but she was already crammed next to the arm of the couch and there was no place for her to go. Besides, he still had a firm grip on her chin.

"Oh, I betcha I know whatcher thinking!" Ichimaru leaned in close, his mouth close to her ear even though she was leaning as far from him as she could get. His breath stirred the lock of hair in front of her ears, "Yer thinking dat I brought you here to 'have my way with ya," Then he leaned back and waggled his thin, nearly non-existent eyebrows at her.

Shocked, Momo jerked her chin out of his hand and could only open and shut her mouth like a fish and he chuckled at her reaction.

"Relax Momo-chan yer like a little sister to me. But if ya had to know, if ya were a fish, which ya do look like right now, I'd throw ya's back as slim pickings."

"Wait just a darn minute!" The petite shinigami female blurted out, indignation making her forget how afraid she was supposed to be. "What's that supposed to mean? And…, and…, if I look like a fish, well, you look like a snake! No, a fox! So there!"

Momo slapped both hands over her mouth, eyes going wide, aghast that she had just insulted this very scary and unpredictable captor. What was wrong with her!

Her huge eyes lifted to look Gin in the face. For the second time, Momo saw the real Gin Ichimaru. He was surprised and the ever-present grin dropped off his face as he looked at her as if truly seeing _her _for the first time.

"Well, if our little Momo-chan ain't grown some backbone."

"I am not your little anything so stop calling me that!"

Her knees were shaking but she thought, '_In for a penny, in for a pound'. He's probably going to end up killing me anyway."_

Although right then, Gin was tilting his head a bit as if trying to figure out a rather unique puzzle in front of him. After a moment he slipped on his usual grinning mask as automatically as one would blink.

He stood up, which forced her to tilt her head back.

"I didn't bring ya here cause I want ta bed ya."

Momo flushed so hard she thought she was going to pass out.

"I want ya ta pass on a message fer me."

Momo leapt to her feet, spine stiff as she glared at the former shinigami captain, because to utter a righteous declaration one needed to be standing; it added a nice touch to the delivery.

The Fifth's assistant captain pulled in a deep breath and pointed an accusatory finger at the evil party, which was also a good touch because it let them know they were guilty as sin. "I will not! We will not surrender and nothing you can say can make us change our minds. You and your evil cohorts are going to be defeated!" Despite the righteous finger-pointing, it might be a good idea on her part, just in case, to back up a pace or two when delivering that kind of inflammatory line.

Gin was more than a little amazed. Her being betrayed by Aizen-sama seemed to have done her good for she was quite a bit different from the shy, rule-abiding, soft-spoken, adoring little vice-captain who used to trot faithfully behind Aizen. However, he didn't have time to listen to a lecture. He only had enough time to give her the message and then help her on her way. It was a stroke of luck, or maybe it was destiny, that put her here at such a time.

He reached forward in one swift movement, caught the outthrust, accusing finger, then yanked and spun the girl so that she was once again sitting on the couch, only this time, with a rather dazed expression on her face. She didn't notice when he released the righteous finger of justice.

Ichimaru sat down next to her again and reached out to wrap a long, thin arm around her shoulders and draw her close to his side as if they were longtime friends. The shock and horror racing across her face was priceless but he didn't have time to enjoy the moment.

For the first time, his face was without an expression of any kind, "I want ya ta remember this…" and then he leaned over to Momo who was trembling from the close proximity and whispered in her ear. Once he finished he leaned back and asked, "Can ya remember that?" Numbly, Momo nodded.

Gin Ichimaru, worst traitor to Soul Society only to be out done by Aizen himself, had just whispered in her ear. Forget? Not in this lifetime or in any other. There also wasn't enough peroxide in all the known universes needed to clean said ear out from fox breath coating left there. It gave Momo the creeps.

Once again, the normal foxy-grin was back in place. "Well, as much fun as this has been, one should never overstay their welcome. Let's get ya ta where ya need ta be." In one fluid movement, he stood and pulled Momo to her feet.

Momo felt like she was in a waking trance and couldn't move of her own volition even if her life depended upon it. The message Ichimaru had just whispered to her was burning in her brain. Thoughts spun in her head making her dizzy and what was needed was just a moment or two in order to be left alone for a few minutes to recuperate.

Unnoticed by her, Ichimaru walked back to the desk to a wall monitor located above it, reached out to activate it and studied it for a moment. When she realized he had moved away from her, she looked up to find that he was frowning at a viewing screen. As all other emotions were totally numb for the time being, it was curiosity that caused her to stand and move until she was a few feet behind him. The images on the viewing screen held his interest and once she got close enough to peer around his shoulder, it captured her attention as well.

On the screen were the images of her friends surrounded by a large group made up of some strange-looking hollows, or maybe they were arrancar.

"Hmmm, well, it seems yer friends are attracting more attention. If we don' hurry they'll ruin everythin for us."

"For us?" No way had he meant that like they were some sort of a team! Just thinking about her and Gin being partners in anything caused a shudder of revulsion to run through her.

"Well, now I got ya ta take this message back, I can't allow ya ta be caught." He directed a scowl of disapproval at the group, "And if those idiots of yers get captured then it will be become known that ya are here also by others besides these idiots. Thadd'd make me most unhappy."

He turned to look over his shoulder at her. "I tend to get cranky when I'm unhappy."

Her light cinnamon colored eyes stared wide-eyed at him. He was around-the-bend certifiable; one didn't have to be a professional healer to know that. Momo gnawed on her lip indecisively, but if he truly was going to help her and her friends, then the offer of help couldn't be refused despite the source.

Against her better judgment, Momo nodded; a sick sensation rising in the pit of her stomach as he turned and grinned widely at her.

* * *

Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter. I really appreciate it!

And even though you didn't have to, thank you, my dear friend, Aine of Knockaine.

And to all my other faithful readers, m(_,_)m

-_Dwellin_


	11. RESCUE PARTIES AND UNINVITED GUESTS

As always, I am extremely grateful to my betas who unleashed their zanpakutou (disguised as pens) and helped make this a better chapter: Aine of Knockaine and millythompson. All mistakes herein are mine, and mine alone.

For those that really care about this kind of thing: I have never owned Bleach, I don't own it now, and I am pretty darn sure I never will, because my name isn't Tite Kubo. Life is that unfair.

(I do, however, have a 'make-'em-turn-green-with-envy' Hitsugaya poster collection! Whoot!)

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**RESCUE PARTIES AND UNINVITED GUESTS**

**What Kind of Resue Is This**

Rukia Kuchiki's white zanpakutou was held in both hands, tip pointed out threateningly as she faced a small group of lower level arrancar. They were cut down to four members from the seven that had first swarmed and attacked her. The remaining ones had fallen back to regroup, and most likely were rethinking their battle tactics while waiting and watching for some hint of weakness or opening. She glared at them, there would be no 'right' moment for them; she would make sure of that. In the next dance, her zanpakutou would annihilate the dwindling group with the very air around them. Readjusting her grip on the hilt, Rukia readied herself."

As they began to tense and snarl, she smiled grimly, patiently waiting for the right moment. When all of a sudden her opponents relaxed from their posturing and cocked their heads as if listening to some sound that only they could hear.

Just then she spotted something cresting a dune in the distance. Squinting for a second, she then urged the others, "Look at that!" before gestured with her blade at the approaching 'something'.

"Little busy right…. Hey… they stopped," remarked Renji where he stood facing his own group of arrancar who also had ceased fighting and retreated a good distance away. Rukia glanced over; they were mimicking her group and were also tipping their heads to the side and listening. Her dark violet eyes jumped back and forth, alert to any hint that this was all a trick, but it was obvious that their attention was genuinely elsewhere.

"Hold your position, they might be regrouping," Hitsugaya ordered, as he watched the arrancars surrounding them back away even further from the soul reaper quartet. It was obvious they wanted to reengage but something was restraining them.

"Odd behavior," remarked Rukia, frowning in puzzlement.

"Why are they just standing there?" Renji was still lowered in a battle stance.

"Maybe waiting for reinforcements?" Ichigo's eyes darted back and forth, suspecting a trap.

"Most likely because of him," replied Hitsugaya as he gestured with his blade point, refusing to remove either hand from Hyourinmaru's hilt until all of the arrancar were dead or too incapacitated to fight.

The other three closed ranks with him until they were all nearly touching shoulders. Even while keeping a vigilant eye on the arrancars, the shinigami also watched as a lone figure dressed in white headed their way.

"Looks like, …Ichimaru the rat bastard?" Renji speculated while squinting at the approaching form, silhouetted against the horizon.

"It is him," affirmed Hitsugaya.

They stood watching as the traitor captain drew closer to them. Once he arrived, the betrayer captain moved over to the arrancar group and they quickly grouped around him. For a few moments he was lost to the shinigami's sight as he spoke to Aizen's soldiers. There were mutterings and protestations along with much sword waving.

Renji watched through narrowed eyes while observing the dissension among the ranks. It was obvious that the arrancars wanted to fight and were in disagreement with whatever Ichimaru was telling them. He flexed his fingers and readjusted his grip on Zabimaru. If these guys wanted to fight, well then he was ready for them. Especially since they had only been fighting for a short time and it only took a few clashes before he was convinced that these fighters were merely a feeble bunch of foot soldiers. Up to this point in time no one in the shinigami group felt the need to release a bankai. Disappointing, that's what it was. All these months of pushing himself, forcing himself to ever-higher heights of grueling training and this was what he was doing it for? It was an insult, pure and simple!

"Stop pouting, there's always the upcoming war," Ichigo caught his eye and gave him a half-grin.

Renji gave him a feral smirk in return, "And then we will hand their butts to them in a hollow bucket!"

There was a moment of silence, and then Renji started chuckling and congratulated himself saying, "Good one."

With a roll of the eyes, Ichigo looked over to Rukia and asked, "Is this normal?"

Rukia made a rueful face and responded, "Unfortunately. He rarely makes a joke like this, so just humor him."

"Hey! I can be as clever as the next soul reaper! And, by the way, that was damn witty... and funny too," protested the red-haired shinigami.

Ichigo snorted while it was Rukia's turn to roll her eyes, neither of which was lost on the tattooed man who responded by glowering and muttering to himself.

At that moment, the arrancar group split to make a path for Ichimaru to walk through.

Renji instantly stopped the chatter to shoot a glance at Rukia out of the corner of his eye. She was resting her white blade lightly against her shoulder while watching with shrewd eyes the activity among the arrancar group. Right then, she caught his glance and nodded back to him with a determined expression. They were all business once again.

Just then a cheerful voice called out across the sand, "What's this, a party? And ya didn't invite me; I'm hurt," said Ichimaru when he was within speaking distance after shuffling toward them, each step kicking up the loose sand in front of him. "But then, it's hard to get mail in this zip code area when the mailmen don't know the route."

"Who is that with you?" demanded Hitsugaya, ignoring the traitor's banter.

The other three members of his party shot him quizzical looks before they noticed Toshiro's turquoise eyes were locked on the ground by Ichimaru's feet. They also looked down and then saw the reason for the question. There, next to Ichimaru's feet was another set of footprints, only smaller and daintier. Their eyes followed the prints back across the sand to the furthest dune.

"Oops, looks like we didn't cover our tracks very well, did we?" said Ichimaru with a rueful chuckle, hand rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes dropped to the footprints next to him.

"You didn't forget! I told you back at the wall what would happen! And you were the one who said I needed to stay hidden!" came an decidedly feminine and accusatory voice from out of thin air.

Upon hearing the voice, the four sucked in their collective breath. It was Momo!

"Where is she and what have you done to her!" demanded Ichigo as he took a step forward, motioning the tip of Zangetsu at Ichimaru threateningly before the genius captain had a chance to act. From the blank expression on Toshiro's face, Ichigo knew he needed moment to collect himself.

Finally, Hitsugaya snapped out of the shock with only one thing on his mind, to find out if she was hurt or being manipulated like she had been before. "Momo," he said softly, staring at the small indents in the sand next to Ichimaru.

"Say, Shiro-chan, what happened ta your eyes, they look really weird," remarked Gin with a wide smile.

"I will kill you!" roared Hitsugaya, but before he could move something wrapped around his torso, holding him in a tight embrace and keeping him from attacking.

He looked down even though he couldn't see her and asked, "Momo, why?" Then with more frantic concern, "Did he hurt you? Momo, did he touch you?" Upon hearing her drawn out, 'weellllll not exactly' as she started to move back, he threw an arm around her and pulled her back in tight.

Lifting furious eyes that were switching in color from turquoise to silver and back, Hitsugaya snarled at Ichigmaru with fangs showing, "'Not exactly' you say! What exactly_did_ he do?"

Momo hoped to calm his rage with a mollifying answer, but when she opened her mouth to speak Hitsugaya cut her off before she could get a word out.

"It doesn't matter! He deserves to die! He led you to Aizen knowing you were going to be killed! And then _touching_ you!"

"He didn't 'touch' me in a bad way!" She said, but realized too late that she couldn't have picked a worse thing to say. The air around them was swelling with the growing fury of his spiritual pressure. Momo did the only thing she could think of; she poked him in the ribs, hard.

"Snap out of it!"

Hitsugaya sucked in air, stunned by the sharp stab to the ribcage. Before he could demand an explanation, she pleaded softly, "Shiro-chan, please, save your wrath for another time, right now we have a chance to get out of here before the other really powerful arrancars, Espada, and Aizen are due to arrive back. And really, we should take that opportunity while it is being presented to us."

"That's right Shiro-chan, save the drama for later," mocked the grinning Ichimaru.

"What? You mean Aizen-rat scum isn't here?" Renji broke in before Hitsugaya could lash out at his hated enemy. "Well that's just too damn bad because we would have kicked his treacherous ass all around Hueco Mundo!" He fumed but now he was the one to receive a jab in the side from one of Rukia's sharp elbows. "Ouch! Whad'd I say now?"

Hitsugaya's attention had never left the tall, lanky traitor and now he demanded, "Why is she invisible? What did you do to her?"

Blue ice crystals began forming on the hot sand around them and a touch of frost was tangible in the air. Nothing was forgotten, nothing forgiven, and revenge was the dish best served cold – arctic cold!

"Uh oh," Renji muttered, eyes sweeping over the ground at the forming ice crystals near their feet.

"What?" demanded Ichigo, also noticing the change in the weather but not feeling the same concern as Renji; to him it was as relief after enduring the suffocating heat. He had never experienced Captain Hitsugaya's weather controlling bankai before and didn't appreciate the danger they were in at the present.

"Guys, I think we should move back just a little bit," cautioned Rukia and then looked over to the invisible Momo and suggested, "You should probably come over here with us Momo."

"Yeah, we're going to take a few steps back, like maybe that dune a few miles over should do the trick," Renji jabbed Zabimaru at a speck on the horizon.

Frowning at his friend's nervousness, Ichigo said firmly, "You can move back if you want to, but I am staying right here."

"Yeah, you say that now," replied Renji as he scanned around him for the best seat in the house. "Better go with us and watch the main attraction from the stands. But you could stay here and get turned into an orange-topped shinigami Popsicle if you want. It's your choice."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's okay guys, you can relax," said Momo, her voice sounding like it was coming from the vicinity of Hitsugaya's left shoulder.

Rukia and Renji relaxed as much as one could when in hostile territory surrounded by the enemy frothing at the mouth to exterminate them while at the same time being confronted with the threat of being turned into shinigami-shaped ice cubes by a certain member of their own group. They shot relieved looks at the silver-haired captain as they felt his reiatsu power down to acceptable battle-ready levels. Now the threat they were faced with was being torn apart by the enemy.

It was doubtful Hitsugaya would release his bankai if Momo were attached to him like glue; which worked in their favor. Instinctively, they strained their eyes to catch a glimpse of Momo after hearing her voice coming from the area of Hitsugaya's face, whispering something to him they couldn't make out but whatever it was seemed to be calming him down… somewhat. However, that wasn't stopping him from trying to unwrap her arms from around him so he could attack if need be. Right at the moment though, he was having a bit of a struggle because he could only use the one free hand to try and hold onto Momo. That was all he could manage, since Momo was obviously enough of a restraint to keep him from unsealing Hyourinmaru.

"Shiro-chan, you must listen to me! He didn't **do **anything! I am shielding myself because we are surrounded by the enemy! I refuse to let you get hurt because of me again. I _need _for you to live!"

Even though he couldn't see her, his eyes automatically went to the place he judged her eyes would be if she was visible and breathed out a quick 'Wha... what did you say?" before being interrupted by his teammate.

"Wait a minute! Did I hear you correctly? Did you said the others are away right now?" Ichigo asked, as his narrowed eyes fixed on the shinigami traitor.

Ichimaru flapped a hand unconcerned, "Tha's right, we can always plan a reunion party later, but right now all ya have ta leave."

Wary, Ichigo asked, "What's in it for you Ichimaru?" voicing what they all were thinking. The quartet was suspicious that this was an elaborate ruse to disguise what he really wanted from them.

"Yeah, what are you going to do, get us to drop our guard and then have Aizen stab us? You are a cowardly traitor and…"

Raising his voice to interrupt Renji's rant, Gin said, "Yes, yes, all that and more, but there's na time for ya ta go through a whole list."

Renji glared at him. He would have interjected something else, but Ichimaru continued again, raising his voice before Renji had a chance to speak, "Ya can find out later, it's really not a good time…" Then, for the first time, Ichimaru showed signs of being ill-at-ease and turned to glance back over his shoulder.

Renji glanced over at Ichigo and found the orange-haired youth returning his look, each gave the other a nod while readjusting their grips on their swords. Whatever happened from this point on, they were ready.

**No One Ever R.S.V.P.'s Anymore!**

"He looks a little, oh I don't know, maybe tense, all of a sudden," murmured Renju softly, "I wonder what's bothering him?"

"This just can't be good," grumbled Rukia, lifting one hand from the hilt to wipe the sweat off her brow with the free sleeve.

Without warning, a powerful reiatsu pushed at them seconds before another arrancar appeared right next to Ichimaru. Once everyone was over the momentary surprise, they noticed the contrast between the two. The newcomer was extremely pale, paler than Ichimaru; in fact, the skin tone of this arrancar was ghostly white, gravestone-white, making the traitor captain's complexion look downright healthy in comparison.

Also, when put side by side like they were, the perpetual grin of Ichimaru's and this mournful-looking arrancar looked like the two Greek 'comedy and tragedy' masks. They definitely were a study in contrasts, if one had the time and inclination for that sort of thing.

The new arrancar was standing with his hands in his pockets. He didn't look like someone ready to leap into the fray of battle. Appearances were obviously deceiving because they could all sense the powerful and menacing aura coming off this green-eyed arrancar totally at odds with his melancholy appearance.

"I knew it!" hissed Renji as he scowled, taking in the scene. "Sometimes it sucks to be right."

Arriving at the outskirts of the ring, many other arrancar began winking into existence swelling the numbers of the enemy.

"Just what we needed, yet another arrancar." Even as she grumbled, Rukia's eyes narrowed as she studied this unwelcome development.

Operating totally on instinct, Hitsugaya lifted Momo up and swung her behind him. The action was not lost on Ulquiorra, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking as his face remained expressionless, but then he stated, "So that is what I was sensing. What a clever ruse. Even now I can't feel any leakage or residue from the shield."

The silvery-haired captain wasn't sure to whom the arrancar was talking to or if he just voicing his opinion to the air, for such was the indifferent expression the newcomer presented. All he knew was that every instinct was screaming at him to keep Momo from harm. Riding that instinct was a raging ice dragon roaring his challenge, threatening to shake Hitsugaya's very bones apart. The Hitsugaya part knew he couldn't let the dragon loose in this aggressive, unthinking state. Giving into a fierce, instinctive desire would only make the situation worse than it already was. To help regain focus, he slipped one of the elongated fangs over his lip and bit down hard. Immediately, the sharp pain brought him out of the cloudy murk to a crystal-clear focus. Once he could think more lucidly, Hitsugaya was able to recognize that this newcomer was even more dangerous to them than was the fox-grinning Ichimaru, if not as powerful; it was hard to tell at this point.

"Well, well, jealous because ya weren't invited, hmmm Ulquiorra?" Ichimaru calmly asked as he tucked his hands back into his sleeves. "Never've guessed ya to be one of the party-type." If the ex-captain was feeling any discomfort, he was masking it for it wasn't showing on his face, which was back to its usual foxy grin.

Ulquiorra didn't twitch or show any sign that the teasing was having any effect on him. Instead he studied the spike-haired shinigami captain across from him. This was obviously the leader and the only one worth his time, although he did remember Aizen-sama making a remark that the ryoka boy would be a source of opposition to contend with in the future, if they let him have a future that is. Ulquiorra knew that Aizen-sama was a master genius of strategy and always had many, many layers of plans and schemes going at the same time. He could only wonder if any action that he took here would be detrimental to Aizen's plans or not. Whatever decision he came to, it would have to be made wisely.

Unknown to the others, Ulquiorra was caught and distracted by this moment of indecision. After recalling to mind that Aizen-sama never said anything about the boy being of any use to his plans, then it was safe to assume that orange-haired youth was mere trash. Normally he would still inquire of Aizen-sama what his wishes were concerning these trespassers but the problem was that the master was away checking out the possibility of a way to 'heaven's throne', while also dispensing spies to check out whether a certain ryoka female would be of use to him because of her uniquely strange power. This meant that Ulquiorra was left in charge of security. He studied the group, his gaze sweeping over them trying to probe and assess their abilities and concluded that this useless trash was not a huge threat to Aizen-sama. Nevertheless, they could not be allowed to think that they could trespass in the master's territory without threat of punishment.

"You will all die."

The remote green gaze came to rest on the ex-shinigami as he stated, "As will you Ichimaru. " In a movement too quick to be seen, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and motioned toward the group.

**My Invisible Queen Trumps Your Ace of Dragons**

A powerful attack soared at the small group of shinigami but at the last second a blade of icy reiatsu cut through it, scattering it into harmless pieces. The sad-eyed arrancar's expression didn't change but they all felt the shift in the air and tensed.

Not needing to hear the order to charge, the arrancars rushed at the shinigami group.

"Oh dear," Ichimaru said as shouts and the sound of clashing blades created a cacophony of noise as powerful reiatsu electrified the air causing it to become heavy and charged.

At the same time, three shouts of 'bankai' were heard and the fight was on. The first group they had engaged before Ichimaru and Momo showed up were on the innermost ring and showing the most aggression since they had been there the longest working up a bloodlust, but the other new arriving arrancar didn't need much encouragement and were soon surging toward the shinigami after their brethren.

Hitsugaya raised his spirit pressure and swiftly threw up a water and ice shield in front of him and Hinamori, easily deflecting the blows that came their way.

Hinamori struggled to get around him; he wasn't letting her help! Shiro must think she was some weak, whining, pitiful little thing that needed someone to save her! This was the moment, the day and hour she had been working and training for all these many weeks on end now! She wasn't going to be a burden any longer! She was going to prove she was a valued member of any group and could also carry her weight in a fight.

Now if she could only make Toshiro release her. "Let go, I can help!"

"NO! I am not taking **a** **CHANCE OF LOSING YOU!"**

Momo stopped and stared at him, shocked by the roar and deep timber that came out of Toshiro's throat.

In his mind he heard Hyourinmaru telling him to not let go of his mate and reflexively, he tightened a possessive grip on the struggling girl who only managed an indignant "Hey" in response before reeling her body in close, flush up against his. Sliding a hand up her back until he found her neck, Toshiro pulled her head in close to his face. Then he leaned forward to place lips on the dainty shell of her ear and whispered fiercely, "I am not letting you go; not ever again, you are mine, now and for always and I will protect you!"

Tingling shivers went up and down Momo's spine, cutting off the protests she had been issuing. She should have been insulted that he would think she needed his help and his protection when all she wanted was to be turned loose to fight alongside her fellow shinigami. There was only one way to respond to this, but first Momo gave Hitsugaya a quick kiss on the cheek. Caught off guard, the silver of his eyes faded a bit letting the bright aqua shine through and a corner of his mouth lifted. Seeing this, Momo took advantage of the moment and executed her signature new move she was tentatively thinking about calling 'The Ichimaru Foot Twist'. Like Ichimaru, Hitsugaya was not expecting the heel that stomped down hard on his foot and grinding into the instep.

At the flaring pain, he cursed and involuntarily loosened his grip to the point that Momo was able to twist out of his grasp and bound toward Rukia before Toshiro had the chance to grab her back.

Sizing up the situation in a glance, she observed that Renji and Rukia were facing three smaller groups or arrancar. The groups circling Rukia were made up of six of the enemy as they attempted to distract her and then catch her off guard. The arrancar were concentrating more on her and Renji since Ulquiorra was attacking Ichigo.

The glance Momo shot in Ichigo's direction told her he was being beaten back by Ulquiorra's attacks but at least they were not able to penetrate through the black sweeps Ichigo sent in his direction. Despite the orange-haired youth being hammered back by his attacker, she wasn't as worried about him as she was about Rukia and Renji.

Apparently the form of bankai for the arrancar was much different than that of a shinigami, and it was a bit of a surprise to watch for the first time as a zanpakutou transformed and combined with the arrancar's body.

Momo then turned to assess her friend's defense and attack and saw the problem right away. The trouble with Renji's whipping snake bankai form was that it was slower moving than many other bankai attacks, even if it was very powerful. The arrancar around him had figured that out and were dancing about him, keeping him from focusing on any one of them. With sheer numbers they would take him down if something in the equation didn't change soon. On the bright side, when he did strike someone, they were permanently out of the picture. Zabimaru wasn't fast, but he was like a train that when it did hit, there wasn't much left afterwards but an arrancar-shaped stain on the sand. That was the problem with achieving bankai before becoming expertly fluent in using it. Achieving and mastery were two different things and centuries separated the two of them. What Renji lacked in finesse and skill, he made up with in sheer enthusiastic power and exertion.

Momo looked back and forth and quickly came to the decision to help Rukia first and then together they could come to Renji's aid. She didn't worry about the ryoka boy because Toshiro could help him if he needed it. She did spare a glance over at Gin. The former captain of the Third was standing there, deflecting attacks that came his way with a slap of his hand, but not moving to help one side of the other. She only had time to snort in disgust before swinging Tobiume into action as two arrancar groups charged in tandem toward Rukia. This had to be over soon, her resources for keeping up the shield were running low even after the time of rest in Ichimaru's quarters.

"Thanks Momo," panted Rukia and as one they turned toward Renji who was bleeding from many small cuts for the purpose of slowing him down from blood loss. Once he started slowing, the surrounding enemies would converge on him and finish the job. The two female shinigami weren't going to let them get the chance. "Let's go help Renji!"

"Right behind you!"

**Fashionably Late**

Everything that was Hitsugaya at the present was enraged, from captain, all the way to shinigami, man, and dragon. How dare she! How dare his life mate put herself into harm's way, especially after he had ordered her not to! His own wounds he could accept, but if anything happened to her, especially if she were killed, then his whole world would totter and crumble. He spared a glance to where he suspected she must have gone, over to help either Renji or Rukia, but of course, it was impossible to tell where she was currently positioned.

A rumbling snarl issued from deep in his chest. The urge to find and assert domination over her was a fierce one, but he shook it off. It wouldn't help her and it wouldn't help their situation. As it was, he could only deduce where she used to be by the aftermath of her attacks. If it was only her in the area then finding her would be relatively easy; then he could swoop down, nab her, and go. However, the interference of the many different variables of a crowded battleground interfered so that it was impossible to chart her next move. Deciding that the best course of action would be to eliminate the enemies, Hitsugaya turned to accomplish that task first, with a cool outward mask hiding the panic churning painfully in his chest. She could so easily be wounded by an accidental thrust or deflected attack that wasn't even intended for her. When all was said and done he intended to have a few words with his mate about this whole ordeal.

Driven by primal instincts to find, protect, and hide her away, Hitsugaya began lashing out at those around him without his usual calm appraisal of weaknesses, strengths, and movement of the battle to aid him. An uncontrolled bloodlust raced through his veins, and with a defiant roar he glared with furious eyes at the enemy around him. Instantly his vision became a silver shimmer and the slightly elongated fangs grew even longer. It was then he spotted Ichimaru and uttered a wicked snarled with fangs gleaming dagger sharp.

The ex-captain of Third Company tensed when he felt the alien eyes upon him, feral and bloodthirsty. His own eyes snapped up and it didn't take him long to find the one with the threatening aura. He could feel Hitsugaya's murderous intent from across the sands and unsheathed the short blade that was Shinso, his zanpakutou.

It would have been a bloody clash between two captain-class warriors but even as Toshiro was starting toward Ichimaru, two streaking spirit pressures abruptly and arrogantly manifested right in the middle of the battle. Both sides stopped fighting to ascertain if this new development was for them or against them. Only a quick look and it was obvious that this third intrusion again weighed in on the side of the arrancar.

"Might as well call out the whole damn army at this rate," complained Renji, even as he panted, taking the moment to rest as the group pressing him halted their attacks wondering if the newcomers were bringing new orders for them.

Both arrivals were wearing the white attire common to the enemy. One had a tousled shock of light blue sticking up every which way from his head. He wore an unzipped short jacket so that the hollow hole in his abdomen was easy to spot above a wide black sash. The sadistic grin on his face and the cruel gleam in his eye clearly revealed the yearning to join in and spill blood.

The blue-haired arrancar swiftly looked around, searching for the one who gave off the immense spiritual pressure that had lured him to this spot. Finally, his eyes stopped and fixed on the soul reaper with the orange hair, completely ignoring the others around him. He started toward the shinigami human who was studying him from under lowered brows.

Stopping the obsessed arrancar in his tracks a voice challenged his intent, "What are you doing here, Grimmjow, Szayel?"

The two newcomers turned to find the sad-faced arrancar focusing his large, odd eyes on them, and they halted under the pressure of his reiatsu. Slowly, he moved away from the ryoka boy, closer to his colleagues.

The second new arrival, the one called Szayel, was tall and very thin compared to the more muscular frame of Grimmjow. The remnants of his bone mask were shaped across his eyes like glasses whereas Grimmjow's was positioned on the right side of his jaw. He wore his white outfit tight to his frame, not showing off any skin except for hands and face. And in contrast to Grimmjow's light blue hair, is hair was cotton candy pink much like Yachiru.

Grimmjow didn't spare Ulquiorra a glance, as his eyes never left the strange human shinigami before him even as he answered Ulquiorra.

"Aizen-sama says that this boy's ability is that he keeps going beyond his previous limits, but other than that, has no real talent."

He stopped when there was still a great space between them and looked Ichigo from head to foot as if comparing what he was seeing to what he had heard. He didn't look impressed. He lifted his voice and called out across to the human shinigami, the personification of a living oxymoron, "What do you say to that, eh Kurosaki?"

"Grimmjow, you have no business here," said Ulquiorra in a monotone, before the ryoka shinigami had a chance to reply.

"Shut up! I go where and when I want." He jerked his chin in the direction of the orange-haired human. "If he can give me a fight, then he is my business! So shut the hell up Ulquiorra!"

_Just what I need_, thought Ichigo, _an arrancar version of Zaraki!_ But defiantly stated, "If that is all I am to you, then let me finish this fight with Ul.. Ulkee…kee…or; damn! Let me finish with this sad-looking jerk and then I will beat the living crap out of you," stated Ichigo, narrowed eyes glaring at them from under orange spiked-bangs.

"Damn straight! That's the kind of spirit I have been yearning to fight! But I will beat it out of you and soon have you begging…"

Without warning, a geyser of frigid blue water and ice chips shot past Grimmjow, cutting him off mid-sentence and leaving him with his eyes widened in surprise.

* * *

Thank you for reading.

-_Dwellin_


	12. Into Harm's Way

millythompson and Aine of Knockaine have done a fantastic job beta reading this. (You should have seen it before it got to this stage!) I am indebted to these two wonderful ladies.

This was a bloody hard chapter to write. I am glad it's done. Phew

Bleach…. Not Dwellin's. You know the drill.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Into Harm's Way**

**Cold Rain **

The bolt of water and blue ice streamed over the heads of Ichigo, Szayel, and Grimmjow. Although none of them expected the attack, instinct made them duck quickly enough to avoid being hit. The only two unfazed were Ichimaru and Ulquiorra, and of those two only Ichimaru sported a grin as if being the recipient of a lethal attack was more amusing than cause for concern.

Ichimaru's act of nonchalance was not feigned for he had been expecting this all along. From the beginning he paid close attention to the spiking reiatsu of the younger captain. It was a strange mixture; a blend of different spiritual pressures building as if a someone were stoking a great furnace and it took time before it was ready to blow.

As Ichimaru moved away from the others to give himself more room to fight, blue and silver ice shards formed on the ground radiating out from Hitsugaya in widening circles. His spirit pressure made it seem as if he were surrounded by shimmering crystals and sapphires. Around his head and shoulders a silvery halo formed as his reiatsu shook the immediate area. A similar silvery hue illuminated the burning hatred in his eyes, all of which were even more conspicuous as the remaining sunlight dimmed into a gloomy twilight. Everyone looked up when a light sprinkle of rain began. The arrancar were especially puzzled, never having seen this particular weather condition in their climate before.

Hitsugaya moved and only those exceptional few saw the smudged blur through the gathering dimming light and drizzle.

Shinso was in Ichimaru's hand in an instant and swept through the air to meet and cut through the icy water blast from Hyourinmaru.

A rumbling growl was the only warning before Hitsugaya launched another attack. Again, Ichimaru's blade cut the curved band of ice and water while the fox grin remained etched across his face. As the band passed by him on either side, Ichimaru seemed oblivious to the debris that sliced through the white robes or even to the patches of ice encrusting his garments. Ignoring all distractions, Ichimaru flash-stepped away and then reappeared coming out of a slow spin. During the spin he released Shinso into shikai form and sent it in a curving arc racing over the ground toward Hitsugaya.

Heedless of the cries of the many arrancar he callously sliced through, Ichimaru only had eyes for his enraged foe. Even the shouts from the Espada were ignored. Despite the fact that Hitsugaya wasn't holding back, it wasn't his intention to kill the snow-haired youth with his attack so it was no surprise to him when an immediate response from Hyourinmaru slashed back at him on the heels of his assault.

It dawned on Ichimaru that Hitsugaya's attack was more noise and flash and not meant to do any real damage. A ploy? Of course it was, and as soon as the smoke and steam cleared, he found himself standing nearly toe-to-toe with Hitsugaya, staring into eyes veiled over with an alien silvery shine. Not showing the momentary surprise he was feeling, Ichimaru easily evaded the stroke meant to split him from head to groin. _How ironic, people say my eyes are creepy_! Ichimaru thought in amusement as he leaped back a few feet.

Intuitively knowing something had not been right with the young captain from the beginning, he decided to test the waters. Also, not one pass up on a smartass comment no matter the situation, Ichimaru quipped to the captain of the Tenth, "Oh, is this a rumba, foxtrot, or a waltz? My lead or yours?"

As up close as he was to the younger captain, Ichimaru couldn't help but notice the animalistic hiss issuing out from between the elongated fangs.

And because he couldn't stop himself; for no other reason than the fact that he couldn't keep a civil tongue in his head and besides, it was fun, "Oi there, Toshiro, ya really wanna go dragon? Might scare off little Momo-chan with that dragon-breath. But, I'm sure she can find comfort in another's bed."

No human voice could have responded with such a reverberating roar. The spirit pressure emanating from Hitsugaya was strangely different and familiar. _Yeah, two beings are entwined around each other, vying for the same space. Wonder what happened to bring him to this point? _Ichimaru's face did not reveal the curiosity he was feeling as he waited for the next attack he knew was coming.

He would have smiled, if he wasn't already grinning from ear to ear, when the silver-eyed shinigami charged in without thought of safety and began slamming his blade furiously over and over against Ichimaru's.

_Oh well, I can ask later, after I beat the living crap outuv him first._

As he countered each blow easily, Ichimaru surmised that Toshiro was already losing part of his core self so, theoretically, it should be easy to outsmart the boy captain. Like a dangerous dance, the two moved in and out, darting and spinning while the sound of metal clashing together and scraping apart were muffled by the din of rolling thunder and the unrelenting rain slashing down on friend and foe alike.

Hitsugaya was swinging wildly and there were moments when he was totally open and vulnerable to a strike from an able captain-class fighter, but Ichimaru did not take advantage of such openings. Rather, he made Hitsugaya do as much of the work in the fighting as possible, moving, ducking, evading, dodging and leaping about, while at the same time conserving his own strength. The captain of the Tenth was making rookie mistakes and charging in without thinking. That alone told Ichimaru that something was exceedingly wrong with Toshiro Hitsugaya, for he was fighting more like a first-year Academy student than a seasoned captain of the Soul Society.

Staring into the youth's transformed face, all the clues fell into place and he instantly knew what was happening to the young captain. He snorted in disbelief; of all the idiotic solutions, why had the usually aloof and reserved genius captain let this happen? Surely he had more control over his zanpakutou than this!

When his opponent's breathing started coming in ragged pants, the traitor captain of the Third decided to find out just how worn-out the younger man was. Telegraphing a wide roundhouse swing that wouldn't have fooled anyone but the most inexperienced novice, Ichimaru brought Shinso around, aiming for a chest-level hit. He didn't expect his once-fellow captain to be fooled by the attack. His intent was to slam his blade against Hitsugaya's, slide down to the guard and twist Shinso off and neatly cut the captain. Not a debilitating hit to the hip, but one that would make him limp and slow him down.

Upon executing the move, things didn't quite go as Ichimaru intended. Catching him unaware, a blow of equal force smashed back against his soul cutter. What happened next, instead of following the script in Ichimaru's plans, Hitsugaya executed a nimble leap more suited for a ballet dance floor than a battlefield. The silver-haired youth matched speed with Shinso, sliding his own zanpakutou along the sharp edge of Gin's soul cutter, and in one smooth move, gracefully flipped up and over the blade as the zanpakutou passed by him. Ichimaru's grin slipped from his face. This would remind him not to underestimate the youngest captain the Seireitei had ever had.

Landing lightly, Hitsugaya twirled so that his zanpakutou was now on the other side of Shinso, following in the path of its swing. It was an unpleasant shock to Ichimaru to see the animalistic smirk on Hitsugaya's face as he, ever so subtly gave Shinso a slight nudge with Hyourinmaru to help the speed the soul cutter away from him. This would leave Ichimaru open and vulnerable to an attack.

"Shit!"

Seeing Toshiro crouch down on the balls of his feet, readying himself for a retaliatory strike, Ichimaru retracted Shinso back to its small form and vanished.

Upon reappearing, Gin was at the fringe of the group, having put far enough of a gap between them.

It was a tactic that worked well since Shinso was a long-distance type of soul cutter that didn't need to be up close in order to strike at an enemy. He eyed the young captain, silently berating himself for letting the other one get the better of him. Just when the Third's traitor captain was thinking he had the advantage because of Hitsugaya's condition, the little snow-top got past his guard. He wouldn't let it happen again. He readjusted his grip on Shinso's hilt and regarded Hitsugaya through slit eyelids. The younger man was breathing hard but still looked battle ready. He slid the trademark grin he was so well known across his face; his own form of mask that hid his thoughts from others.

Enormous amounts of released reiatsu flared up from both men as they stared at each other through the rain that was now coming down in sheets. Still bent in a crouch, Hitsugaya's face contorted into a snarl, while in contrast Ichimaru chuckled lightly as he held the shortened form of Shinso in a relaxed grip, arm hanging down at his side.

Interrupting the growing tension, a voice yelled, "What the hell are you two doing?"

It was Ichigo. The ryoka yelled even though he knew the two combatants wouldn't acknowledge him, occupied as they were with their standoff.

"Damn it all!" Yelled the furious substitute shinigami, because they were _supposed _be working together, not satisfying some primal urge for vengeance.

The human youth hunched his shoulders against the rain. This was _supposed _to be a desert, not a freaking typhoon! This was _supposed _to be a rescue, not a shinigami version of 'who gets the girl' contest!

"Don't make me come over there!"

This was turning into the rescue from hell and on top of that, the rain was cold and his clothes were getting soaked while turning the sand to a muck that stuck to his feet and calves. Fighting and bleeding were only to be expected, but this whole thing with being miserably cold, soaking wet with his uniform uncomfortably sticking to him, cold water running down his neck and back, and on top of that, having sand clinging to one's feet was turning this into the suckiest rescue in the annuls of rescue suckdom!

Despite being nearly reiatsu- insensitive, Ichigo had a talent for sensing an attack almost before it was launched. With an instinctive awareness, he felt the coming release of reiatsu before it manifested and raced to throw himself at Rukia, pushing her down to the ground while at the same time covering her tiny body with his. Even before he knew they were safe, he could hear muffled shouts of 'Get off me!' coming from beneath him. He didn't bother answering, right then he was occupied with more pressing worries than Rukia's injured ego.

Lifting his head, Ichigo was glad to see Renji flat on the ground. Trying to pretend he wasn't looking around for pooling blood, Ichigo's eyes swept the sand immediately surrounding him, because if Momo had been hurt that would be the only way to find her.

Pushing up to his knees to take a better look around, Ichigo absently caught Rukia's wrist when she took a swing at him. Consequently, he didn't see the surprise register on her face as he held her wrist tight, even when she tried to jerk it out of his grip.

Renji shot a quick glance over to Rukia to make sure she wasn't hurt and then jumped to his feet shouting, "Momo! MOMO!"

Spinning one direction and then the other in a frantic search for his friend even though he knew she was still shielded and he wouldn't be able to see her. He barely heard her winded response of "Here!" but let out a sigh of relief at her reply.

"Hey, I can kinda see you!"

Ichigo and Rukia both looked up at Renji's statement. Sure enough, when they followed Renji's gaze to the ground, they noticed that they could just make out a vague shape caused by the rain mist in the air.

The combination of the two drastically different climates of desert and glacier-cold elements coming together made conditions just right to reveal there was something human-shaped occupying that certain spot in the sand.

Although hiding her spiritual-pressure was one thing that all shinigami could do to keep from being sensed by another, the kido invisibility shield was her own invention, but it was only able to bend light rays away from her, concealing her visible presence. The kido spell did not make her ghost-like in that tangible objects could not pass through her.

Another clue to her being there was the sound of Momo's teeth chattering.

"I'm… c..c..cold!

"But not hurt?"

"No," she assured him. "C.. c..could.. you… h..h…help m…m…me up?"

"Sure."

Renji took a step forward but then halted, for while he could barely make out her general form, he wasn't sure where the 'no-trespassing' zones were located, and being no dummy, he knew that every girl had them; but with Momo he wanted to be extra careful. And; he liked to think, he was an officer and a gentleman, (one achieved by promotion and the other having been beat into him by Rukia's fierce little fists time and time again over the years) and he really didn't want to accidentally grab Momo and haul her up by her boobs. One didn't have to be a genius to know that helping a girl to her feet in that manner would not go over well.

As for Momo, as she reached up, she saw his expression and intuitively realizing his dilemma, she took pity on him and grabbed the hand he stretched out toward her and pulled herself up.

Ichigo watched when Renji started forward to help Momo up and frowned in puzzlement when he saw his friend halt. Then grasping the situation, he suspected what Renji was thinking right then and the look on the redhead's face cinched it. Even though conditions were still horrendous, he couldn't repress chuckling even as he pulled Rukia to her feet. Expecting to hear her grouse or complain, he looked down at her in surprise when she didn't say anything. In fact, now that he thought about it, she wasn't calling him names or insulting him and his whole family tree. Concerned, he turned to look down at her. He found large pensive eyes looking up at him with an expression he couldn't decipher. In a heartbeat he crossed from concerned to worry and began doing a quick scan for any sign of wounds while asking, "Are you okay? You aren't hurt are you?"

"No, no, I'm fine thank you." This was said in a near whisper, making him lean down in order to hear her. Her dark sapphire eyes were wide and glued to his. She wasn't in a towering fury, or even critiquing everything he did wrong from the moment he set a foot out of bed that morning. Maybe she was coming down with something because she just looked at him, with those large purplish blue eyes, as the rain ran in streams down her face. He blinked against the water running in rivulets from his spiky bangs as he wondered about this odd behavior of hers.

Again, so quietly that he was forced to bend down to hear her, Rukia said, "You are amazing."

Very worried now, he reached over and felt her forehead which was cold. No surprise there given that they were standing in a cold, pouring rain.

Ichigo dropped his hand and asked again, "Are you sure you're okay? You don't seem like yourself."

Rukia was horrified she had just voiced that particular private thought aloud, and to make matters worse, Ichigo had overheard! She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and hoped it was gloomy and dim enough that orange-haired idiot didn't notice. Her eyes snapped up to his and gave him her best glare. Then hastening to cover any hint of damaged pride, or anything he could use to inflate his ego, the raven-haired woman said succinctly through gritted teeth, "I. Am. Fine. Go annoy someone else!"

Ichigo left out a breath of relief. She was back to normal! Then he was overcome by a strange desire to pick her up and hug her. The uncharacteristic urge was so unlike him that it shocked him silent and he quickly squelched the impulse to reach for her telling himself that it was only because he didn't want to get smacked by her ever so tiny, but violent fist.

As for Rukia, her world as she knew it, was tipping on its side. Never had he caught any of her punches in the past and in such an offhand manner that he didn't even know he was doing it! If he was that fast, why hadn't he ever stopped her from hitting him before this? For some reason, she was caught unaware by the realization that Ichigo was stronger and faster than her. The raven-haired shinigami shook her head. She didn't have time to ponder any of it; getting out of this situation alive should be the main focus.

All the shinigami and arrancar were on their feet and getting their bearings when the earth rocked violently beneath them, throwing all of them to the ground. Now, instead of only rain coming down straight, the wind began picking up, and now sharp shards of ice particles were stinging any unprotected flesh.

"Aw crap!"

**The Wrong Season for Ice**

"Who the hell can fight in this kind of weather? Shinigami penguins?" yelled Renji as he turned his back to the change of weather. "This is exactly why they shouldn't let kids be captains! As if rain weren't bad enough, now it's _bitter_ _cold_, _freezing_ rain!" Sometimes he really despised Hitsugaya.

Just then, he heard cursing that could rival the intensity of the weather. Turning his head, the tattoo-man noticed the drenched arrancar with blue-soaked hair plastered against his skull, rising to his feet while also struggling to get free of the wet sand that sucked at his legs as if reluctant to release them. Grimmjow raised his face to the darkening sky and howled threats and curses.

Wet red spikes drooped, heavy and dark with cold water as Renji felt the arrancar's misery even as he remarked, "Poor bastard's loosing it."

"This is disgusting! This is unworthy of a warrior!" Grimmjow continued yelling as he first sought to free one foot and then another. The embarrassment of being thrown off his feet to the ground and looking like a small kid getting stuck in a mud hole, burned in him and he wanted to settle the score, with something, _anything _to take out his frustration. Wild and feral blue eyes looked around they landed on Ichigo who was slowly making his way away from his group toward his other companion.

Grimmjow's face lit up with the closest thing to joy he could feel. This was the one! This was the shinigami he wanted to fight! Just as he was about to charge the orange-haired shinigami a deep-throated scream of defiance pierced the air. And instantaneously the rain let up.

It was so unexpectedly sudden that everyone looked up in wonder and relief before remembering the reason they were there in the first place. Then again, a roaring scream of rage cut through the air and everyone whipped about trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. The deep vibration ripping through the air wasn't the kind of sound that would come from either a shinigami or arrancar throat. The timbre and resonance was deeper and wilder than a normal throat could produce.

Without warning, here and there, icy pillars sliced up from the sand. Both sides were having a hard time trying to decide if they should start fighting or keep an eye on the rapidly changing weather patterns that made it increasingly hard to press an attack. It was easier to stand still and let the enemy approach. However, both sides had come to this conclusion and therefore, the battle was more or less at a standstill although that didn't stop them from glaring at each other.

It didn't take long for either side to figure out that the unpredictable weather was making for lousy fighting conditions. Both sides had their hands full trying to evade HItsugaya's razor sharp pillars of jagged ice that sprang up without warning. Neither side paid any attention to what the enemy was doing.

A few of the ice pillars shot up to encase surprised arrancars but the shinigami didn't have time to be grateful.

Out of the blue, a bracing gust of wind swept down, scooping up sand and flinging it into people's faces. The sand was already drying out, the water draining away to some subterranean depths but it didn't stop anyone from vehemently cursing the rain, the sand, the cold, and now, the wind.

"DIE ICHIMARU!" came a deep reverberating bellow that drowned out all other grumbling voices. Hard on the heels of that came an eerie silence where no one moved or spoke. It was then Ichimaru's voice was heard.

"Ah, ah, ahhhh, captain of the Tenth; if you keep up this temper tantrum, then I'll be forced to stop you," warned one of Aizen's conspirators in treachery, waving a reprimanding finger at Hitsugaya who glared frigid daggers back at him.

Again, there was no sound… not at first. Then a plop hit the sand, and another, until there was a light drumming ignoring the groans and curses from voices, enemy or otherwise.

"You gotta be shittin' me!"

Rukia had her back turned to the wind and elements and closed her eyes wearily; in total agreement with Renji. Right then and there, she would gladly throttle the ice-loving shit out of Hitsugaya herself and then pleaded the fifth if asked about it. Even though their two zanpakutou were close in type, she was thoroughly sick and tired of dealing with the changing weather patterns. At the very least she was harboring thoughts of beating him about the head and shoulders with a block of ice and let him see for himself what it was like!

The rain, had indeed, started up again and this time, it also carried sharp slivers of ice fragments along with it. Momo hunched her shoulders against the cold wind and icy rain. For the first time she could actually admit to being jealous of the arrancar. They looked miserable, but not as much as she, Rukia, and Renji looked right then. Possessing a tougher skin than shinigami, the arrancar weren't as bothered by the ice darts. However, for the shinigami, it was like having tiny blades nicking and slashing at them.

Rukia breathed out a quiet curse, an old one from days gone by but at the same time glad that her brother wasn't there to hear.

Renji also noticed that while the sharp-edged sleet sliced at their skin it was sliding harmlessly off the durable skin of the arrancar and blurted out a "No fuckin' fair!"

The wind snagged and tore at their clothes with icy talons, ripping the edges to shreds and drenching exposed skin with sheets of glacial-cold water and stinging shards of ice. A sudden gust of wind slammed into everyone and again many were pushed off their feet. Trying to keep the water from streaming into his eyes, Renji desperately looked around to find who was the closest to Hitsugaya. Holding his arm to shield his eyes, he saw Ichigo struggling to his feet.

"Ichigo! Tell him to cut it out with the ice and wind!" Renji yelled and then wondered if his friend could even hear his voice through the muffling rain. Relief spread through him when Ichigo nodded that he understood the problem. He watched Ichigo struggle in the direction of Hitsugaya. Renji could only hope that Ichigo grasped what he meant. He knew the human didn't know about the snow-haired genius's ability to control the weather. He and Rukia (and he guessed Momo as well) were once again sinking up to their ankles into the wet sand and it was making it difficult to keep one's balance. "And be quick about it!"

"Quit nagging me! I'm taking care of it!" Ichigo yelled over his shoulder as he tried to slog his way through to the outer fringe of the arrancar to where Ichimaru and Hitsugaya were fighting. Neither one of the combatants seemed at all concerned about the weather.

"_Faster would be better_!" came the return shout.

While watching Ichigo work his way to where Hitsugaya was, the icy rain plastered Renji's shihakusho to his skin and streamed down his face making it ever harder to see through the murk. Even though he squinted, Ichigo's form was becoming lost in the dark rain.

Renji was cold, miserable, and mud clung to his feet and calves. He had never fought under such perverse and appalling circumstances before. He turned back to stand near Rukia, guessing that where she was, Momo would be also. Even if the circumstances kept them from being able to engage the enemy, it was best if the three of them stayed together. Just as he wrapped an arm around Rukia's shoulders he felt someone bumping into him. Instinctively knowing that it was Momo, he pulled her in close with his other arm, and the three huddled together.

"Momo!" Renji yelled even though Momo was standing right next to him.

"Yes!"

"I hate your boyfriend!"

"He's not…," Momo started but felt too drained to protest, and instead, let her shoulders droop, feeling too weary to hold her own frame up under the assaulting rain.

Renji's lips thinned out but held no mirth as he clutched the two girls to his taller form. If it kept raining ice particles like it was, they would literally be in mud up to their hips and ripped to shreds. The only upside was that… wait, there was no upside.

He looked about him to see that most of the arrancar near them were either down on the ground, or unable to move around much, even the Espada. Szayel was down on a knee as was Grimmjow who was, again, snarling at wind and rain. Only Ulquiorra was on two legs and as usual, still had both hands in his pockets observing the scene about him through the downpour as if nothing unusual was happening.

**Black Moon Falling**

Unlike Grimmjow, Ulquiorra knew exactly which shinigami to blame for the adverse circumstances and therefore did not bother to waste his breath cursing the sky. He did lift his face, letting the cold rain and ice slivers strike him. His expression did not change for it was as if he carried within him the same artic cold that was Hitsugaya's trademark personality trait. Then lowering large green eyes again to what couldn't be qualified as a battle anymore, he noted the battle was on hold for the time being. Both sides were more concerned with surviving the freakish weather attacks then they were about the enemy, except for the two battling on the fringe edge of the battle, of course.

The Fourth Espada did not feel the need to engage in battle just yet. Let the lower levels of shinigami and arrancar weed each other out first until only those worth fighting remained. So, he waited patiently, watching as Ichimaru and Hitsugaya sparred back and forth. Then it occurred to him that perhaps fate was giving him an opportunity that should not go to waste. If he were to intervene now, in all probability the two embattled foes would be too preoccupied to notice another attack.

He observed and considered, noting with interest that Ichimaru was not fighting up to his full potential. Strange, in fact from watching the two combatants engage and break apart, noting that the only one thirsting for the other's blood was the weather master shinigami. The spiky-haired youth had achieved full bankai but was not fighting intelligently and also not fighting efficiently at all.

One look at Ichimaru's face and Ulquiorra could already sense where this battle was going. Ichimaru was maneuvering and manipulating the shinigami captain. At this rate, Ichimaru would come out the victor except for the fact that he was crossing blades with his opponent in such a way as to not harm the shinigami. This, decided the Fourth Espada, was treason. Enemies were to be exterminated, not pampered. He did not care what Ichimaru's plan was for he was sure of one thing, it was not for the benefit of Aizen-sama, but only to some advantage that favored the fox-faced ex-shinigami.

Now Ichimaru was maneuvering the smaller opponent around, but to what end? If he hadn't already decided to use this opportunity to take out Ichimaru, then it would be interesting to see how the fox-faced man would outwit the other.

The melancholy face did not change expression as he gazed through the rain, even when there was a particularly furious exchange between the silver-haired shinigami and Ichimaru. He executed a sonido, an arrancar's version of the shinigami flash step, moving in closer, again waiting for the right time. When the green-eyed arrancar saw that Ichimaru and the shinigami were totally focused on each other, he slipped his left hand from his pocket waiting for the moment he knew was fast approaching. Any second now he would strike. What better way to rid Aizen-sama of a certain useless puppet and make it appear like he had been killed in an exchange with the enemy? If it were in his nature to smile, Ulquiorra would have done so, but not being one to show much emotion, he simply watched the exchanges between the two.

Even though he was only a little farther away from the two than the arrancar, Ichigo could barely see Ichimaru and Hitsugaya's battling figures through the sheet rain. It was easier to track the ebb and flow of reiatsu flaring between them and even he in his reiatsu-oblivious state could sense that. Despite the fact that he was unfamiliar with Hitsugaya or his fighting style, he instinctively knew that the usually cool-natured shinigami was descending into some sort of emotional and animalistic state which would get him killed if something wasn't done to interrupt the fight. Already Ichimaru was taking advantage of his foe's condition and was slowly working his way to a point that was more advantageous to press an attack from. Sharp brown eyes scrutinized the scene, even as he fended off the attacks of those arrancar immediately around who were taking ineffectual and listless swings at him as he passed by them.

Ichimaru and Hitsugaya's attacks clashed, and then as quick as a wink, the two would pull away before flying back at each other again. It was at a speed faster than a normal eye could follow, but he was quicker and knew that if he timed it right he could leap high in the air above the two and send a powerful bolt between them. It would interrupt them long enough to grab a hold of Hitsugaya and pull him away. He hoped.

As for Hitsugaya he didn't notice anything but the red haze of violent rage and hate clouding his vision. Except for Aizen, there was no one else he loathed and detested more than Ichimaru. Only the furious battle roar of an enraged dragon echoing was all he could hear while a fury burned through his veins and his vision collapsed to only one focal point was that of the grinning face of his enemy. There was no thought involved in the attacks, only an instinctive urge that drove him to rend, tear, slash, and rip his enemy until all that was left were tiny bloody pieces. He was getting closer and soon would unleash his most powerful attack yet. Everything in him was striving and yearning for that moment.

While Hitsugaya and Ichimaru were preoccupied with their fight, Ichigo keenly studied them both with narrowed eyes. He wasn't worried about the others because for the time being, Renji, Rukia and Momo could easily handle the less-talented arrancar. The ones he worried about were the newcomers on the scene, but Toshiro and Gin needed prying apart. If he was correct, for the time being this treacherous guy was on their side, not that he trusted the traitor any more than before. In Gin's favor though, he only started fighting when Hitsugaya attacked him first. If they were going to defeat the more powerful arrancar then he wanted Hitsugaya working with them and not on some personal battle of his own.

Then it came, the moment he had been waiting for. That split second in time where both combatants were focused only on the other as they broke apart, each flying backwards in huge bounding leaps. Taking advantage of the break, Ichigo sprang and launched himself, soaring higher and higher over them before yelling '_**BANKAI**_!'

In the next second, he was staring down at Toshiro's and Gin's faces tipped up toward him. Both were surprised enough to cease from their fight to glance up. Then Ichimaru blinked against the rain spattering his face before a grin split his face. Sanity slowly returned to Toshiro's expressionless features and then he too was squinting against the rain. With relief, Ichigo watched the silver bleed from Hitsugaya's eyes, returning them back to their original aqua color.

At the moment when Hitsugaya heard the cry of '_BANKA_I!' splitting the air, it had the effect of snapping him out of the blood-soaked haze that had obscured his vision and mind. He had just spun away from a frenzied exchange in time to watch a dark form with red-tinged raven wings flaring against the black clouds. For a few seconds it was hard to make out what it was before it dawned on him that it was Kurosaki in his ragged-edged coat with the blood red lining. He saw the ryoka lift and swing his black sword. Acting on total instinct, Hitsugaya leaped up and away from the strike.

Both combatants watched as Ichigo swung Zangetsu but not with full force and certainly not letting the blade consume all his spiritual energy, for he wasn't intent on killing either Hitsugaya or Ichimaru.

Ichigo only wanted to warn them off of each other. Making sure to move slowly and broadcast every move so they would be tipped off ahead of time, the orange-haired ryoka released the spiritual pressure from the tip of his blade and aimed it so that it slashed down between them. Having detected the hints both men saw it coming and took a giant leap back to avoid the strike. Ichigo's blow landed in the vacated space between the two, exploding the sand in all directions.

Hitsugaya and Ichimaru were separated and the rain had stopped.

Then landing lightly on the ground between them, Kurosaki glowered first at one then at the other. "We don't have time for this crap! Settle your differences another day! Now that we have Momo back our priority is to get the hell out of here!"

He shot a hard look at Hitsugaya and said, "Or doesn't that interest you anymore? I know why we are here and I _thought _it was the same reason you were here. Am I wrong?"

Hitsugaya felt the remnants of the burning rage fade as cool sanity returned. The humiliation at having to be reminded about Momo cut him deeply.

_As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. _

_**This is what happens when you let the dragon call the shots.**_

_What? Wait. You… I…_

_**Focus! I am what I am and do not try to act like anything else. When I see an enemy to my mate I deal with it.**_

_After this is all over, you and I are having a serious talk. But for now, back off!_

_**I look forward to it, however I can't, we are still entwined, but I can and will keep quiet… for now.**_

Fuming, Hitsugaya knew that somehow things needed to go back to the way they once were for the dragon's rage nearly consumed him with the overwhelming bloodlust for the kill. He could not let that happen again, especially not at the expense of Momo. A zanpakutou was a powerful ally, friend, and a part of his own spirit, but he was learning that there were limits to the partnership. There must ever be one in the relationship that was the alpha partner and that one could not be the zanpakutou.

Hitsugaya felt the ryoka boy's hot glare on him. Lifting his eyes, he met Ichigo's, gave a curt nod, saying, "Let's get back to the others…"

It was then that Ichigo saw the one named Szayel throwing something toward Renji and Rukia and reacting without thought, yelled a warning while flinging a Getsuga Tensho to obliterate the sneak attack.

Immediately on the heels of first one, he filled Zangetsu with more of his spirit energy and swung again releasing the super-charged spirit pressure from the tip. This time he aimed with the pink-haired arrancar in his sights.

More than seeing it, Szayel felt the attack coming. Instinctively he threw up a defense even as the blow hit, throwing him head over heels across the sand until he crashed into Grimmjow.

Before Szayel had the chance to scream from the pain, the attack rendered him unconscious. The cut was strong and deep enough that it might have killed him had it hit him dead on, but as it was the tough skin of an arrancar afforded some protection.

The power of the attack blew the two Espada together, causing them to tumble and roll over each across the wet sand.

Since Grimmjow was not the target of the blow it barely glanced off him so he was able to launch himself away from his fellow Espada until skidding to a halt, limbs splayed in all directions and spitting the sand out of his mouth. The blue-haired arrancar groaned. The last conscious thought was that he was going to kill the ryoka and not be shy about it hacking him into tiny bite-sized pieces. Then against his will unconsciousness took over and his head lolled to the side.

Ichigo watched as the sped over the ground, top over teakettle, from Grimmjow's clumsy landing to Szayel's some distance beyond him. For the time being, one of them was barely alive and the other unconscious, but he turned away from the two arrancar in order to find out how his friends were doing.

When the rain let up, the arrancar around the three shinigami began charging at them again. But by this time, Renji, Rukia, and Momo's three-pronged defense and attack was cutting a wide area around them.

Ichigo saw as Renji, Rukia, and he was assuming Momo, decimated the immediate group around them and now even the remaining arrancar were falling back.

Renji was in bankai and Rukia in shikai as she stood at his side and he could see bodies and piles of dust where the arrancar used to be ringed around them. Anyone who succeeded in surviving the visible shinigami were soon impaled on Tobiume or blasted by a concentrated ball of fiery reiatsu. The angry but confused arrancar were falling in droves.

Ichigo first turned to where Gin was standing and gestured for him to join them. Aizen's protégé was grinning at him and waving like he just spotted an old friend on the street corner.

"Cheeky bastard," he mumbled to himself before glancing over at Toshiro and saying, "C'mon."

**Sonata's End**

Momo was gasping for breath as she danced around Rukia and Renji to slice and cut at any of the enemy who thought they were fortunate enough to work their way past the complicated death dance that Renji and Rukia had unconsciously fallen into. Strangely enough, the trio had automatically given Momo enough space for her to make lightening quick attacks. Though still invisible, they trusted rather than sensed her presence there. The proof of falling bodies cut down by an unseen blade was their only clue as to where she had just been. It was also the only clue to the enemy that there was something lethal there helping the two shinigami cut through their ranks. There was speculation that the unseen blade was part of the red-haired male's bankai.

Even as the arrancar fell to the ground gasping out their dying breath, their eyes searched for the unseen weapon that had brought them down.

Momo was not happy with the position she was in, but knew, grimly, that this was warfare. It wasn't about being fair and meeting the opponent on equal terms. It was about hacking a way to victory if that is what it took for whole team to make a safe retreat.

The sweat was pouring off of her and Momo knew that her limits were about to be reached. No sleep the night before, little to eat, and a constant pouring of reiatsu into a shield and now this. Thankfully, there were less and less arrancar that were able to work a way past the trio's teamwork which meant that there was less and less need for Momo to be dancing in and out, slashing and whipping Tobiume about so she was able to catch her breath between attacks.

It was then she looked up and saw Ichigo flanked by Hitsugaya and Ichimaru slogging their way through the drying sand. Her eyes flicked over their faces, taking in their grim expressions. Hitsugaya's and Ichigo's that is; Ichimaru was grinning away as if he was on a nature walk and enjoying the scenery of the great outdoors.

Unexpectedly from what seemed out of nowhere, three attacks came at once. One was from Grimmjow, on his feet and looking extremely pissed. A bright flash from his palm sent a cero speeding their way. It was also at that moment that Ulquiorra, who had been moving toward them in a leisurely pace, also lifted a palm and aimed.

Both of the attacks were directed toward Ichigo. Grimmjow's because he wanted to battle the shinigami who could give him a challenge and Ulquiorra, because after watching the orange-haired youth decided that he indeed was too dangerous to let live.

The bonus was that he was standing next to Ichimaru who would also be taken out. All he needed was to shoot out one cero and that would cancel out two irritants at once.

The last one, and weakest, was from Szayel who had been threatened by Grimmjow that if he didn't launch an attack even in his weakened condition, when he was finished battling Kurosaki, Grimmjow would come back and consume the wounded and vulnerable Szayel. Even though it was a feeble attempt, it combined with the two other cero strikes.

All this happened in less time than it took to blink. The attacks were so swift that even the ryoka and the two captain-class shinigami (even if one was a turncoat) were aware of them, but only one acted. Hitsugaya hurled himself between Ichigo and the oncoming attacks and barely had time to raise Hyourinmaru in front of him.

A bright flash and eruption of reiatsu blew sand hundreds of feet into the air. Any arrancar in range were instantly incinerated by the collision of the three attacks colliding with a powerful reiatsu-created ice wall. Steam and sand dust hung in the air causing those nearby to cough and choke. Ever so slowly, it dispersed on the steady breeze, clearing the air.

Momo, Renji, and Rukia; the blast having knocked them off their feet, were slowly pushing themselves to hands and feet while quickly taking stock of the situation around them.

Momo wiped the grime and clinging sand off her face with a sleeve and shakily got to her feet. Once the air was clear enough, Momo looked around for her companions. Since they were nearby, it was easy to spy Renji and Rukia who looked to be in no worse condition than before. Breathing out a sigh she couldn't help but be relieved at seeing her comrades unharmed as they too scrubbed the sand from their faces and struggled to stand upright along with her, also surveying the scene around them.

As if energized by the explosion, the breeze picked up and began blowing in earnest. It slapped the loose strands of hair against her face, stinging her skin. She pulled away the pieces caught in her mouth before tucking the errant strands behind an ear even as her eyes began searching the area for him.

Then concerned eyes scanned while at the same time noticing that most of the arrancar were gone and those few that remained were also down on the ground. Most were not moving but Hinamori couldn't tell if they were dead or just unconscious although here and there, some were moaning and weakly moved a limb, but even then, it didn't look like they would be a threat anytime soon.

Then across the way, still a good distance from them, she noticed Ichigo and Ichimaru pulling themselves to their feet, spitting sand and coughing. Then Momo gasped, for Ulquiorra was moving toward Ichigo and Ichimaru and neither man seem to notice. Right away the self-appointed shinigami action heroine knew what was going to happen, this Espada was completely intent on killing them.

"Look behind you!" She yelled at them, while pointing at Ulquiorra. Both whipped their heads in the direction of where her finger pointed. The Espada's eyes were as poignantly sad as ever even stepping over the bodies of his fallen kind, not sparing a glance down in concern.

Now they had been alerted, both Ichigo and Ichimaru turned in the advancing direction of the Espada and had their weapons in hand waiting to see what he was going to do. Then it dawned on Momo and a keening moan launched up and out of her throat. For there were only two where there used to be three. One was missing. A sudden deep pain stabbed in her chest; where was _he_? She didn't see _him _anywhere. _He _was there a moment ago, before the blast, so where could _he _have possibly… Then her eyes fell to a crumpled heap on the ground between Kurosaki and Ichimaru.

"NO!" She screamed and flew across the dried sand in a few quick flash steps.

"Wait, Momo, stay here!" Rukia cried and tried to leap to where she thought Momo was, but it was already too late, Momo was gone.

"Shiro-chan!"

The petite shinigami dropped to her knees beside him without being aware of having closed the distance between them. Automatically the kido shield which had been kept up most of the morning, dropped and a disheveled Momo appeared by Hitsugaya's side as if summoned out of thin air. Silverly tears were already forming in her eyes, trickling down her cheeks unheeded.

Without thinking, she dropped Tobiume before fearfully reaching for Hitsugaya's wrist to check his pulse. With a relief so profound it made her dizzy, she felt the sign of life beating under questing fingertips. Then to her horror, the beats came slower and fainter, until nothing could be felt.

"No, no, oh no," she moaned, as more tears slipped unnoticed down her face, trying desperately to deny the reality her fingers were telling her. "This can't be happening!"

Abruptly and without concern for injuries, she rolled Toshiro onto his back, pulling and sliding his shoulders up onto her thighs so he was slightly propped up. Once situated, Momo leaned over and stared down into his handsome face. With panic-filled jerky movements she wiped at the blood on his forehead and face.

Seeing the blood against a face as white as freshly fallen snow, something long buried in Momo snapped. The door that hid so much all this time and that she had been too frightened to acknowledge blew off the hinges and the thing denied and rejected for so long surged out.

Was he breathing? She watched and waiting intently, holding her breath until she saw the bare rise of his ribcage. Then waiting breathlessly again wherein she died a million small deaths, she kept her eyes on him as if her own life depended on his breathing in and out, because it did. And in the tense space of time between, the truth of would be silent no more.

It was past time to stop trying to convince herself that she didn't love him, stopped lying to herself that she only loved him as a dear childhood friend should. The thread of the lie, so woven around the eyes of her heart for so long, fell away and light shone in thick blinds were cut away from the window of her heart. Momo slowly let the light of this truth break the power of selfish and long-held delusion. For those who self-protect for fear of being hurt choose the path of the belief that a lie spoken often enough will keep one from being hurt. She had survived rejection and abandonment from Aizen, the one she had admired the most. But living deeply of one's life meant risk, did it not? Holding people at bay for the rest of her life, not trusting, and keeping a suspicious guard on her heart, this was not acceptable anymore.

How silly that fear seemed now that she could lose him, and all without telling him what she was discovering, from the depths of her soul, what she had known all along. The eternal conflict, that love was humble but tenacious. Love was strong and gentle, it could move mountains, and it could even heal stubborn blindness and now, Momo could see.

Truth, like Tobiume's flame, burned away all rickety props of self-protection that was really selfishness in disguise. Love was not only romance but also the fierce joy of being, and she did not merely love Toshiro for her own ends, she loved him, for himself, for all that made up Toshiro Hitsugaya, him who he was, the good and the bad. To think, that all this time, this had frightened her the most, the instinctive sense of preservation of pride and self-centeredness. For this was a love would live and die for the other.

This moment of revelation took place in the time it takes to blink, and although old structures were being torn away, she was still the same Momo with the same personality and nature. She was not changed, only made more full and complete aware than before.

Momo touched his cold forehead and lightly ran her fingertips from his brow down to elfin jaw line. Then she gently took his silver forelock and tenderly pulled it through her fingers, marveling at the silken feel of it. No sign of breath came through his lips. She locked her eyes on his chest but she couldn't see it move. Large, golden-brown eyes shot back up to his face, but couldn't see past the blurry smear obscuring her vision.

"Oh Shiro, no, no, no, this wasn't supposed to happen," she choked out. Trying to see through the haze of unshed tears, she glanced down at his chest again and waited. He wasn't breathing... oh by the gods, he wasn't breathing! "NO Toshiro, no, no," she groaned out over and over again, too numb with despair to feel Ichigo's hand when he laid it on her shoulder. She didn't hear his voice when he said that everything would be okay and for her not to cry.

_Was _she crying? Lifting up a hand, she felt the wetness on her cheeks. Good. She should cry. Someone stole the present and future from them. Her Toshiro wasn't going to walk into that future with her, holding her heart, holding her hand. Everything she had done every action take that was condoned or not, it was for him, it had all been for him. Yes, she knew it was for the Soul Society and every innocent threatened by Aizen's insane ambition; but mostly, oh her breaking heart, mostly, it was for _him_!

Some thief had just stolen her treasure of blue ice and silver. She bowed her head over his, until her brow rested on his, letting the tears fun down his face as if they were his own.

To keep from letting the pain rip her very soul in two, a refrain began to echo over and over again in her mind: _some thief, some thief, some thief_. She focused on this, some thief had taken Toshiro from her. Shiro-chan was gone, but that thief was still here, looking on, laughing, savoring their triumph.

_Triumph will be ashes in their mouth!_ Momo swore as she lifted her head and rocked back on her heels. Her eyes were filled with fury that demanded that no one, and particularly this thief, would live with their victory over Toshiro. Momo Hinamori would make damn sure of it.

She started to shrug off Ichigo's hand, but before she could do so, his hand left her of its own accord. She barely heard his curse, and numbly registered that his reiatsu was flaring out. Another time, it might have caused her to stumble as it pushed against her. Not this time.

Ichigo was in battle mode but Momo didn't care. Instead, she reached for her zanpakutou and slowly rose to her feet. Once standing, she let the rage come, expanding outward from the very depths of her soul straight into Tobiume. The fiery response told her that Tobiume was awake and ready to burst forth.

The clash of blades nearby and the familiar reiatus told her that Ichigo was fighting with someone, but she didn't care, she had her own battle to fight.

She had sworn to protect him with her very life and she had failed.

Out swept her soul cutter, unsealed and leaping for the sky as Momo yelled in a voice that belonged to both of them, "**Who did this?**"

Since they were not of captain-class caliber, the glowing cero strike had seemed to Momo, Renji, and Rukia, like one single huge, massive attack instead of the three separate ones combined.

There was no one to answer her for those around her were preoccupied with their own problems.

Ulquiorra was attacking Ichimaru who was pushed back but from his stance and glower Momo suspected that the ryoka was only biding his time until he decided to reverse the scales and unleashed his own bankai.

Sometime in the space when she was attending to Toshiro, Grimmjow had woken up in a very angry mood. Now he was fighting Ichigo and the two were locked in a furious struggle. From what she could see, they were evenly matched.

Looking over her shoulder, Momo saw Rukia and Renji looking dead-tired as they panted while leaning on their blades and wiping the sweat from their faces. Around them were the remains of the last of the arrancar

Momo had seen enough.

Feeling the spiking of her reiatsu, Renji and Rukia looked up to see Momo standing over Hitsugaya like a burning pillar of fire. Seeing the despairing look on her face, they knew what had happened and their eyes fell to the form of Hitsugaya outstretched on the sand.

"Shit!"

Rukia didn't say anything, but in a flash she was across the sand and landing beside Hitsugaya, hoping what she had seen on Momo's face wasn't true. Not bothering to check for vitals, she began doing the basic triage care that all soul reapers were taught. A second later, Renji was by her side, assisting her in searching and binding up any wounds he could find.

Beside them, but moving away was Fury and sorrow personified.

"**WHO DID THIS?**" Momo screamed, her eyes dark and wild in her pale face.

A wind sprang up and whipped the hair around her as it slapped at her cheeks, but she ignored it. Her eyes were flaring with surging reiatsu and anger. To others she was barely recognizable as she sought about her for Hitsugaya's assassin.

First her fierce gaze fell on Ulquiorra, and then on Grimmjow. Both Ichigo and Grimmjow halted, blade pushing against blade before they jumped back from each other. The towering pressure rolling out of her like thunder caused them to reassess what was more dangerous.

Ichigo stared in stunned surprise at the dainty and petite shinigami lieutenant. Grimmjow's eyes bounced back and forth between her and Ichigo, trying to decide which of them right then was the most dangerous.

"YOU!" Momo yelled. Her eyes targeted someone over Grimmjow's shoulder. In that instant, hazel-gold eyes narrowed and turned a stormy brownish gray as she pinned her sight on Ulquiorra, for she decided he was the only one with the killing power able to murder Toshiro.

Momo stabbed Tobiume at him. "You are responsible for this! _**YOU **_KILLED HIM!"

The thunder of reiatsu gathered and then an audible thunder did roll across the sky as a scream rang out, **"BANKAI!"**

The world burst into a fiery inferno until even areas of damp sand began to burn.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

OH, and for you Firefly fans: I borrowed a line from the movie, _Serenity_.

-_Dwellin_


	13. That Which Burns Brightest

A hearty thanks to my beta for this chapter, Aine of Knockaine, who is always full of encouragement, great suggestions, and good advice!

Bleach - Tite Kubo. Bleach - NOT Dwellin's.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**That Which Burns Brightest**

The last thing any of them, arrancar and shinigami alike, were able to see before their vision was exploded into an intense eye-piercing brightness, was of Momo rising to her feet with tears streaking down her face. Her eyes were filled with a burning anger as the slight shinigami resolutely lifted her blade toward the sky. Crying out in a voice filled with both challenge and rage, she summoned her bankai. The spiritual energy not so much rushed from her as burst from her in a torrent.

Immediately the area shook and it was as if the mouth of hell had opened and spat out flames of reiatsu to roll across the surrounding area. Then the tsunami of visible reiatsu flame sucked back into her and it was then the prong-shape of Tobiume's shikai form transformed into a blade that resembled a tree of flame while an expanding fiery circle of light began forming and growing around and above Momo.

The fiery tree-like zanpakutou broke into smaller tongues of flame, and flew behind Momo, coalescing and reforming until four wings of flame materialized high over her head. Slowly they unfolded and majestically undulated in some unseen wind as the corona of fiery light over her head grew larger. Around the wings a huge head and beak regally lifted, neck stretching higher and higher. Billowing smoke rose from the glowing eyes and then the great bird uttered a screech of defiance before launching skyward.

The bird-shaped bankai rose swiftly upward on four fiery wings, trailing flaming streaks in its wake. Though many others watched the ascension, Momo's eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the arrancar she believed attacked Toshiro! He would burn!

Everything she thought, believed, and felt, poured into her bankai form. From Momo's back sprang four identical wings of flame, a smaller version of the firebird above her. At the apex of its upward flight, the fiery bird paused, ducked its head down and then dove, building up speed and carrying vengeance in burning feathers of flame. As it dove, it threw off millions of small feathery darts to rain down on the battlefield.

The blazing bird, shot like an arrow downward and landed with unbelievable swiftness on Ulquiorra. Unfortunately, since Grimmjow was nearby, the beak engulfed him as well. For those watching, shielding their eyes from the blinding glare intense light, the surprise was that it didn't burn the two Espada's clothes or flesh; instead the firebird's beak dove into them, instantly and ravenously consuming vast amounts of spiritual pressure, much like flames greedily devouring dry wood.

Unlike the Captain-General Yamamoto's own fiery zanpakutou, Hinamori's did not affect the environment. Instead, it was a fire that went inward, seeking reiatsu to feed upon, so it went first to the core and depths of the enemy's spirit. When the reiatsu was devoured, it could then turn and start burning a path outward, consuming the flesh in a fiery instant, until nothing was left but a stench in the air and ashes on the ground.

However, since Momo was still a young shinigami new to her bankai it was not fully formed yet, nor had she decades of practice with it. Also, a bankai needed an enormous amount of reiatsu in order to form and even more to sustain it. Since she had achieved hers only a short time before, the young vice-captain was too inexperienced in using it in a fight; it was not unexpected for it to fade away soon after being unsealed. Even now the firebird's form was turning translucent, starting with the tips of the plumage and moving inward. Momo's eyes glowed like coals starting to cool and her face held not a trace of emotion as the form dissolved and vanished.

Swaying on her feet, Momo felt the power melt back into her leaving her shaky and tired. The trembling shinigami examined the scene around her. In some places the result of the scorching blast had been so intense that the only thing left to show where an arrancar had been standing were a pile of greasy ashes. Again, she noted, only the sand immediately around the pile showed any sign of being scorched otherwise it was left untouched. Then feeling the first emotion since releasing her bankai, Momo searched the area for her friends, hoping against hope that they had survived.

The first ones she sighted were Rukia and Renji all tangled in a heap. Their limbs were practically entwined, each fighting to be the one protecting the other. Sharp insults could be heard punctuating the air as they sought to unravel their limbs now the firestorm was over.

A subdued relief went through Momo when she realized that the deadly feathers only pierced those considered enemies while not touching any of her friends. She blinked at that piece of information, but was too drained of energy at the moment to even feel grateful.

Later she would let herself feel thankful but for right now Momo turned from her friends to stare dispassionately at the carnage surrounding her. In the aftermath, there were only three surviving arrancar, and these were the Espada.

Szayel was still in the same spot where he had fallen earlier, and from what she could discern, barely hanging onto life. Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were also on the ground where they had been struck and unconscious. Their life signs were stronger than Szayel's and no doubt they would recover from this.

As for the one she didn't know how to qualify, (as usual Ichimaru was ever in a class all his own) he was down on one knee spitting something out of his mouth before rising to his feet to stare around him inspecting the aftermath. Like always, the thin-lipped grin stretched from ear to ear.

Quickly turning from him, Momo searched for the center of her world, afraid of what she would see, but couldn't have stopped her eyes from turning in that direction if she had wanted to. What she saw was Ichigo hunched over Hitsugaya, having used his body to shield the shinigami captain. Ichigo climbed to his feet, wiping at his mouth with the back of a sleeve as he took in a change of scenery he heartily approved of; an absence of bloodthirsty arrancar.

Momo's eyes dropped to the crumpled form of Hitsugaya. A physical pain stabbed in her chest and her knees began trembling. All she wanted in that instant was to be by Toshiro's side.

When Momo tried to take a flash step in his direction, her knees buckled and she collapsed to her knees. With despair she realized she would not be able to reach Toshiro's side. When upon falling forward the exhausted female didn't even have enough energy to lift her arms to block the fall. Closing eyes and mouth to keep the sand out, Momo expected the next would be her landing face first on the sand, but then unexpectedly, she was caught, turned over, and lifted up in someone's arms, all in one smooth move.

Barely managing to crack her eyes open Momo was surprised to find that it was Gin who was holding her. He was the last person in the world she wanted touching her so it was discouraging to realize that she didn't even have the strength to protest. Not really caring, she wondered idly how he had known she was there, he shouldn't be able to see her when shielded.

As if reading her mind, Ichimaru informed her, "Yeah, ya visible now havin' got so used to it, ya prob'ly didn't even realize when ya dropped it. Ya know, when ya first was sittin' by the kid."

He started walking, and then added indifferently, "By the way, ya look horrible. Ya shouldn't kept it up sa long."

Momo didn't try to glare at him. Instead, she let her head flop to the side so she could see where he was heading. With a teary sigh of relief Momo was pleased to see that he was walking toward the place where Ichigo was still standing over the Tenth's captain glaring at Ichimaru with mouth set in a grim line, but he wasn't saying anything; yet.

The assistant captain of the Fifth was now so wearied that it was impossible to voice her gratefulness (even if it _was _Ichimaru) for being taken to Toshiro. If they laid her down next to him, she could hold his hand one last time. She hoped he would hurry; it was getting more and more difficult to keep her eyelids open.

Ichigo took a few steps to meet him, closing the gap between them so he could stare down at Momo, the concern in his face evident as he studied her.

Ichigo asked softly, as if she were the one in dire circumstances, "Are you okay Momo?"

Not seeing any sign of wounds or blood on her, he figured that she was healthy enough, although she barely managed a slight nod, as her thick eyelashes drooped lower and lower until finally fluttered to a close.

Relief made Ichigo's shoulders sag for a second before he straightened back up. Everyone was going to be okay. That's when he felt Ichimaru's gaze resting on him. He made a soft snort of disgust. The jerk gave him the creeps. He couldn't wait until his friends were well away from him and this place. Still, Ichigo admitted begrudgingly, the traitor had helped them, right?

Even though he acknowledged that bit of help, Ichigo couldn't keep from glaring at the man from under orange brows. He could be grateful but that didn't mean he had to be best friends with the traitor jerk-wipe. Despite that fact that Ichimaru helped them didn't change the fact that he and the shinigami team had done the bulk of the work in the 'help' department, with Momo doing the greater part of it.

Ichimaru acted as if he didn't even notice the fierce glower from the ryoka boy. Instead he fixed the slit eeys of a laughing fox on him and asked, "Which of ya knows how ta modify memories?"

Ichigo stared at him dumbfounded before asking, "Modify memories? Soul reapers can modify memories?"

He really needed to check with Rukia about getting a handbook detailing a soul reaper's skills and capabilities. He was tired of finding out these kinds of things after the fact. Speaking of Rukia…

Ichigo vanished from sight only to reappear again beside Rukia and Renji. He helped Rukia to her feet but when he extended a hand to Renji the red-haired man only shook his head, preferring to get to his feet on his own. Both replied that they were fine when Ichigo asked if they were injured.

"Okay, that answers ma question; ya can't," stated Ichimaru as he watched the three friends. Turning to look down at the female in his arms, he knew this slender girl didn't have spirit pressure to spare even if she did have the ability to do even a small modification. He then studied Hitsugaya, nope, not that one either.

At a protesting shout, Ichimaru turned his head. Immediately he felt the reiatsu of the red-haired assistant captain of the Sixth shift and move.

"Hey foxface, hand her over!"

Immediately Renji was in front of him, his arms stretched out for Momo, who, he noted, seemed to be sleeping.

Without a word, Ichimaru was in the act of handing Hinamori over to Renji when Ichigo and Rukia appeared next to the tattooed man. Both Renji and Rukia quickly gave Momo the once-over to see for themselves whether she was hurt or not. Finding her healthy enough, they looked up, caught each other's eye and nodded before turning their attention back to Ichimaru and Ichigo.

Ichigo wore his customary glower while Rukia's expression was serious when she turned her attention to consider Aizen's former vice-captain.

**It Don't Come Easy**

"Well that was fun! We oughta do it again sometime!" Ichimaru said, his usual thin-lipped grin stretching cheek to cheek. They were not reassured.

"Why Ichimaru?" asked Rukia, her eyes so intense that they appeared a dark midnight violet. "Why did you go to such lengths to help us?"

"Yeah," interjected Renji, his usual self-confidence back in place although his tone dripped with suspicion, "We noticed that your idea of '_helping_' was that you weren't really trying to win in that little dust-up with Hitsugaya. So what's up with that? Why 'help' us?"

"Well, I couldn't let my ole friends be wiped out now, could I!" he flapped a hand in a vague direction at the remaining arrancar. "Besides, I don' even like d'em guys.".

"You're lying!" insisted Rukia.

"Right through his shit-eating grin!" growled Renji with a frown.

"He could always come back with us if he is homesick," suggested Ichigo, who moved so as to take a position between Gin and Hitsugaya.

Renji, with the still napping Momo in his arms, moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ichigo. Then he glanced down at Momo to make sure she wasn't being disturbed by the discussion.

While placing a hand over his chest, Ichimaru said in a wounded tone, "How sad that ya think that of me!" He then looked from one to the other, taking in their implacable and distrustful expressions with his usual grin in place.

Then dropping his hand, his voice turned serious, "But we don't have much time. Now, I'll ask again, can any of ya modify memories? I'd do it but it ain't my gift and 'sides, when dey monitor for interfering residue, I don' want mine ta be found. Can't be blamed for nuthin' that way."

"Actually, now that I have time to think about it, why should we help you?" Rukia asked, eyes narrowing, a hand dropped to the hilt of her sword.

"Ya said before this, that I already helped ya. Ya owe me. 'Sides, doncha think it only stands to reason that it'd be better if it looked like nothin' happened here involving soul reapers, doncha think? 'Nother thing, I can get ya out of here."

Ichigo nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah, okay, you got us on that one."

Renji's head snapped around and he stared at Ichigo in surprise. "What are you saying? Are you going to trust this creep?"

Rukia's eyes didn't leave Ichimaru as she studied him thoughtfully.

Ichigo shrugged and then explained, "If Aizen knew we were here, he might change his plans, tighten up security, or even strike earlier than he was going to, which would be bad for everyone. Better to let him think we were never here."

"Never here! I bet we appeared on all the security monitors, and made just about every one of them scream, '_They ain't from around here_!' So how can they _not _know we were here?"

Ichimaru started to hold up a finger as if to answer, but Rukia broke in and he dropped his hand, letting the shinigami argue amongst themselves. This was entertaining even if time was running out.

"Wait a minute. He's right Ichigo, this doesn't add up! Ichimaru is on the **other **side! _He _has a vested interest in _his _side winning," the raven-haired girl explained patiently as if to a witless idiot. Even though she knew Ichigo was intelligent, Rukia sometimes wondered if his seeming inability to 'connect-the-dots' was an act he put on just to irritate her. If it was, it was working really well right now. Her jaw was starting to ache from clenching so hard. She really wanted to hit him, but now was not the time.

Getting back to her original train of logic, Rukia continued, tapping her chin with a finger and speaking more to herself as she voiced her thoughts, "Because if _we _win he will be executed as a traitor if he isn't killed in battle. Think about it, there's nothing in it for him to be a help to us. In fact, Aizen might reward him for capturing us. So why would he?"

Ichimaru cleared his throat, loudly, and the others stared at him, having for those few seconds, forgotten him while they deep in discussion.

"Well I hafta help ya, seeing as how if these bums here wake up and see us having a little chat it won't look good for me t'all." He tucked his hands into this sleeves, smiling blithely at the group.

"Okay, I can see that, but it still bothers me that you not saying why you are helping us!" Rukia persisted, casting a suspicious look over at him, "and don't think we didn't notice the quality of the help either."

"You know what, who the hell cares, let's just get out of here! I'm sick of this place!" Renji exclaimed, tired of trying to figure out whether Gin Ichimaru was for or against them. "We can keep debating this but that means we'll just be here that much longer in this beachfront property from hell; or, we can haul ass out of here. I for one, vote for hauling! So how 'bout it."

He glanced down at Momo, who was beginning to stir in his arms.

Rukia blinked. In his crude way, Renji was right. This issue here really wasn't about where Ichimaru's loyalties lay, what really mattered was leaving. Odd, to have Renji be the one to focus them back on what was most important.

Momo's eyelids began to flutter and she started making tiny, quiet moans in the back of her throat.

Then it hit her and Rukia's eyes flew open as realization dawned on her, the why of why his 'help' wasn't that much of a help to the rest of them. Jabbing a finger at Ichimaru she hissed out, "It's to do with Momo," eyes narrowed ominously. Then her hand went to Sode No Shirayuki as she warned, "If you have harmed her in any way Ichimaru, I swear you will pay!"

Renji instantly had Zabimaru pulled half way out of the scabbard, which wasn't such an easy thing to do when cradling Momo tucked into one arm, but he had done it before when carrying Rukia and facing Aizen when the bastard demanded that Renji hand her over.

Staring at Ichimaru, Ichigo's brown eyes grew hard as steel as he said, "We know that somehow you are using Momo," and here he spoke to the others even though his eyes never left the ex-captain of the Third, "but I'm betting it's with her permission."

Rukia's head whipped around to stare at Ichigo; talk about connecting the dots! Now she was feeling a bit embarrassed for not having seen that but nodded her head in agreement, that could be it. Then she frowned, Ichimaru wanted Momo to get home because he wanted her to do something for him. In no way would she hurt the Soul Society or else Momo wouldn't have agreed to it. And with that, Rukia decided that would have to do, at least for now anyway. She then realized she was still staring at Ichigo who was growing more and more uneasy under the scrutiny of her unwavering gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ichigo asked gruffly.

"I was just thinking that for once, you were the one to catch onto something. You must be smarter than you look."

"Of course… Wha' the...? Geez!"

And upon saying that he turned back to Ichimaru, determined to ignore the midget. "Anyway, I don't know what you are getting out of it or what she is getting out of it. All the same, for right now I figure we don't need to know. But Rukia's right. If you have harmed her in any way, then someday we will find you and there won't be a bolt hole in hell where you will be able to hide, and then you will be damn sorry you messed with us!"

Ichimaru flapped his hand, "No, no, ya got me all wrong. I haven't done a thing ta her, I swear. Not to sweet little Momo, I mean, look at her, who could?"

"AIZEN!" came the answer in three different voices.

"Right… forgot bout da little squabble.

"Like your word means anything," snorted Renji, but he wasn't looking at Gin. He had sheathed Zabimaru so he could readjust the grip he had on Momo. He stopped to watch her eyes flutter open and then dart around in complete confusion. At first her warm brown-velvet eyes were confused as she took in the sight of her friends. After staring and blinking at Ichimaru for a few seconds, she turned back to look up at him and whispered softly, "Renji?".

He with a wry look he glanced down at her, "You're safe now Momo. We're leaving soon."

Rukia gave Ichimaru a long, level stare before nodding, "Fine then, we will leave it as it is for now."

Then she turned to study the still unconscious arrancar and informed the group, "Several times in the past, there were occasions where I needed to modify a memory or two upon visiting the human world. Although I have never had the opportunity to use this technique on an arrancar before, I am sure it will work the same." _At least I hope it does, _she thought as she headed for Ulquiorra.

Over her shoulder she asked, "This is the one that worries you the most, eh Ichimaru?"

"Only 'cause he's about as much fun as sand in yer pants," his shoulders drooped as if the very thought saddened him.

"Cut the crap!" growled Ichigo, "We don't care who you like or dislike. Once Rukia's done, all we want from you is how to get out of here."

His left hand dropped down to rest on Zangetsu's hilt. This guy was starting to get to him with the tongue-in-cheek way he talked, disturbing snake-like grin, and concealed eyes. Ichigo's hand began to tighten so hard around the hilt that his knuckles turned white. He hated subterfuge and people who used it to hide their true nature. He heard a soft gasp and turned to find Momo snapping out of her daze.

"Shiro-chan!" Momo exclaimed and started to struggle in Renji's arms, but he wouldn't let her down. At least they knew now that Momo's memory wasn't impaired and none of her limbs had sustained any damage.

"Calm down Momo. You don't have the strength to walk just yet. You are still really low on reiatsu, so it's a wonder you are even conscious!"

"Please Renji, just take me over to him! Please!" Momo reached up and dug her fingers into Renji's uniform, turning those huge, pleading eyes on him, tears were forming at the edges and soaking the lashes.

"Here, I'll do it," offered Ichigo, shooting a dark look in Ichimaru's direction, "I don't think I can stand here and listen to this guy another minute without going all 'Zangetsu' on him."

"Okay, but remember that I don't like him any better than you do," Renji, insisted, anxious to set the story straight as he handed Momo over. He knew that Ichigo trusted him to keep an eye on their so-called ally.

Renji crossed his arms over his chest and turned to glare distrustfully at Ichimaru and while listening with half and ear as Momo pleaded with his friend.

"Please Ichigo, please take me over to Shiro-chan," implored Momo, eyes bright with unshed tears. "I need to be with him."

"Geez, all right, all right, give a guy a chance to get over there!" Ichigo replied, although his voice was gentle even as he frowned down at her. _Geez, the way she's going on, you'd think he was dead or something! _He thought while huffing out a deep sigh.

**Life Is Just Full of Little Surprises**

Ichigo approached Hitsugaya and lowered to his knees, next to the silver-haired captain. With great care, he propped Momo against his thigh so she could sit up beside Hitsugaya.

The first thing she did was reach for Hitsugaya's hand and clasped it in her petite, slender ones. It was cold and limp between her two warm ones and her heart contracted painfully in her chest. Already tears were prickling at the edges of her eyes and she could barely swallow past the lump stuck in her throat. Slowly Momo traced a finger over the calluses and toughened skin of Toshiro's palm. A sad smile tilted the corners of her mouth as she remembered how fanatical he was about training and building up his strength. All so he could become one of a handful of the very best of the Soul Society. He had achieved it too. Her breathing hitched for a moment as she fought to hold back a sob, trying to maintain a calm she didn't feel.

With her eyes closed and brow furrowed, Momo slowly and tenderly traced down the strong fingers, the scarred knuckles, and over the back of his hand. Finally, she lifted his hand to her lips to kiss those same fingers and knuckles before cradling it against her cheek. With eyes still shut, tears burned before falling although she was barely aware of them.

She began whispering, "Why Shiro-chan? When my heart's cry was for you to live and for a very long time! How dare you die on me! Toshiro, I love you! I'm sorry I was so afraid before to admit it and I'm also sorry I couldn't tell you. I was afraid to love you, to need you, to depend on you. I was afraid to say anything, what if you didn't feel the same way as I did? But there's no cure for this love that I have for you, Shiro-chan! And if there was, I wouldn't take it anyway!"

Tears rolled down her cheeks, some trickling over his fingers, "I can't say 'goodbye'! I can't let you go! I love you too much, I want to be with you always, and I desperately need you to live so I can prove to you with all my strength how much I love you each and every day!"

Before she could say anything more, Ichigo exclaimed rolling his eyes, "Do you have to say all this stuff now? I really don't want to hear this. Can't you at least wait until it's just the two of you?"

He was thankful Momo couldn't see it, but his face felt hot and he was sure his cheeks were a bright red. What was wrong with people? They should wait until they were alone together, in private, by themselves, without anyone nearby. Places like a nice romantic dinner, alone; a walk under a full moon, alone; or sitting on the couch watching movies, alone; those were the kind of places where one should say soft sentimental, loving things like that, not the aftermath of a battle!

"Ichigo, how can you tease at a time like this?" Aghast, Momo craned her neck trying to look up at Ichigo, "How can you be so coldhearted? Look at the blood! Look at _him_; he's all covered in blood. How many wounds did he receive to bleed like…"

The orange-haired shinigami stared at her, eyes wide and then he started chuckling.

Irritated now, Momo tilted her head back even further trying to get a better look at his face. If he didn't drop the teasing, she was going to belt him a good one! This was no time to be teasing, no time for mirth! She frowned and huffed out, "What's so darn funny anyway!"

"That you think this blood is mine," replied a voice but it wasn't Ichigo's.

Momo whipped her head back around and with eyes wide and mouth agape, watched in disbelief as Hitsugaya pulled himself into a sitting position to face her.

Against her back, Momo could feel Ichigo's leg shaking with amusement but ignored him. Sputtering, and pointing a finger to where Hitsugaya had been stretched out, she finally was able to choke out, "Whaaaat!…, Y…yo…, you're supposed to be dead or dying!…, I saw you! You were hit by that blast! That really big blast! An, an, and then," she waved a finger in the general area around them, "Crumpled in a heap on the ground! You weren't breathing! I swear, you stopped breathing! And b… b… blood, all sorts of blood, you know, blood all over you! Right there," she jabbed her finger at the ground for emphasis, "It wasn't an illusion! I know what I saw, and _why are you LAUGHING_!"

"I wondered why you were getting all worked up when he wasn't even dead, just…knocked out," remarked Ichigo while he gave her what he considered a comforting pat on the shoulder that nearly knocked her over sideways.

Momo's good intentions to give Hitsugaya all the respect his rank called for and prove her love with all her heart, went up in smoke as she watched his lips twitch and his eyes glint in amusement.

"Shiro-chan! You're so mean! I hate you!"

These insensitive, inconsiderate male hyenas were making fun of her! Worse, it came on the heels of her confessing her undying love, opening up her heart, and blurting out the depth of her feelings when her heart was in the process of breaking. Breaking into pieces, as in, never to be whole again! Now the two laughing bozos were going from snickering, to hooting, and then dissolved into out-and-out belly laughter.

Finally, Ichigo admitted after winding down to a chuckle, "She thought you were dead? I thought she was supposed to be really sensitive to someone's spirit pressure! I can't believe that I'm better at it then she is and that's saying something because I suck!"

"Usually she is very good at it."

Cheeks now flaming red, the girl at the butt of their jokes seethed. _Good thing for them that they had stopped laughing when they did, _Momo fumed as dug fingers into the sand at her side, imagining a couple of necks she could be squeezing.

It didn't matter one whit to Momo that a good deal of the merriment was caused by the expressed relief that all of them were alive and were letting off steam from the previous tense situation. She didn't even catch how unusual it was for Hitsugaya to be laughing alongside someone else.

Momo was not in the mood cut them any slack. In fact, she was pissed. _No one makes fun of my pain, dammit! _

With barely a warning glint in her eye, the irate shinigami swung.

It was a feeble and awkward swing as Momo was still in the same position as before, legs stretched out in front of her, still propped up against Ichigo's legs.

Hitsugaya easily caught her fist with a knowing, amused grin on his face. He flicked his eyes up at Ichigo with a message that the orange-haired man caught and understood immediately.

Momo found herself starting to fall backward as her support unexpectedly deserted her, but instead, an arm went around her waist and she was pulled up and over into Hitsugaya's lap. As he moved into a cross-legged position, she found herself deposited in the dip between his legs and his arms wrapped around her, her back to his chest pulled in tight. There was a bit of a struggle at first for Momo was still simmering with anger and embarrassment.

But, as Hitsugaya's arms tightened around her, pulling her flush against him, the thought broke through, reminding her of the one important fact: _he wasn't dead_! Momo didn't have to be a member of the Fourth Company to know that sitting up and laughing were not even close to being dead and dying! But then she smiled, and as quickly as the anger had welled up, it dissolved under the relief and joy of knowing Shiro-chan was alive and well.

Momo closed her eyes, sighed with relief, and relaxed back into the chiseled muscles, rejoicing over the rise and fall of his chest. She could feel the warmth of his skin against her back even through the clothes. Surprisingly, even after all the fighting; she caught the scent of him, which was crisp, clean, and sharp like newly fallen snow. How did he do it? Brows went up, fretting because she knew she must smell like a burning trash bin.

When Toshiro chuckled she could feel the deep rumble against her back sending a delicious tingle up her spine. Momo truly felt like she could melt now, totally at ease for the first time in hours. This felt so right, so natural, as if they were always meant to be together like this.

Then, the delightful shiver intensified as he leaned forward to rest his cheek against hers. Momo sighed in contentment and she could feel his cheek rise as he smiled. Wait a minute! Her eyes flew open wide. She knew that smile. Even without looking at him, she was well acquainted with that smile because she had known him for such a long time. She didn't need to see his face or his smile to know what it could mean. She already knew. It meant trouble.

Toshiro knew Momo as well, if not better than she knew him. He could feel the lines of her body going rigid as she attempted to sit up and put distance between them. He didn't let her, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her back into him.

The Captain of the Tenth didn't say anything at first; he didn't have to, only waiting for that perfect moment when he had her complete attention. Then the spikey-haired captain let the tension build as he placed his lips right next to the delicate shell of her ear before he let the moist warmth of his breath tickle her ear and cheek, while slowly touching the edge of his lips to skim the outside. Ever so lightly, he followed the trail up and then back down again, stopping at her lobe. He knew what it was doing. Despite her tensing up, he could feel the delicate quivers running through her.

Momo wondered if he knew what his breath was doing to her. Already the skin of her cheeks, ear, and neck felt exceptionally sensitive and he was barely even touching her! Something like an electric tingle was zipping up and down her spine to the ends of her fingers and toes and back again. Her stomach was quivering with a good/tense sensation and there was a rising need for more of his touch, more than just his arms around her. Something had shifted, something was different, and whatever it was it was having an odd but not unwelcome effect on Momo's every nerve which were now on high alert and growing more and more sensitive by the second. His breath was causing a delightful tickle to shoot through her.

"So Momo," he finally whispered softly, "when exactly is this proof of love supposed to start that you were promising me?"

**Chattin' It Up **

Ichigo, Renji, and even Ichimaru, turned to stare when they heard a screech of anger erupting from where Momo and Hitsugaya sat. They watched as a furious Momo squirmed and shouted while trying to punch Hitsugaya with a fist or jab an elbow into him. For his part, Hitsugaya was laughing and tickling her at the same time.

"You'd think they would save it for when they are alone," grumbled Renji frowning and turning away as his cheeks darkened.

"And spare us the embarrassment! What a hassle!" grumped Ichigo, his bottom lip stuck out as he scowled deeply. He also turned away which meant he was back to facing Ichimaru. It was a bit of a quandary since he couldn't decide which way he would rather be facing. Either direction was hard on the eyes.

"Maybe we should go over and congratulate the happy couple." Ichimaru took a step forward and immediately found the tips of two zanpakutou under his nose. "Or we could jes stay here and think happy thoughts."

"Yeah, let's do that. Why don't we start with you using Kira to try and kill Momo and when that didn't work, then tried to Shinso her ass while she was unconscious before leading her to Aizen-bastard to run her through? Hmmm? What about those fun times?"

"Just my way of showing affection."

"You wanna run him through or should I?" Renji muttered out of the side of his mouth to Ichigo.

Then to Ichimaru he asked, in a wide grin with teeth clenched, "I wonder how _you'd_ like being skewered? Shall we see?"

Unexpectedly, Ichigo threw an arm out in front of Renji before he could lift Zabimaru. With a grimace he sheathed Zangetsu before pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel the stress building behind his eyes heralding the approach of a nasty headache. He really hated dealing with this guy and couldn't wait to be rid of him. That meant of course, that they still needed him to help them leave.

"Leave it for another day Renji. As much as I hate to admit it, and believe me, I _really _hate to admit it; we still need him to get out of here."

"I told you as we jumped through that we should have set the controls for an automatic return!"

"Think back, we all were in a bit of a hurry at the time!"

Off a way from them they heard Rukia call to them, "Done with this one!" as she rose from her crouch next to Ulquiorra and then headed for Grimmjow who was only a short distance away.

There was a tense pause as the trio watched Rukia kneel beside Grimmjow, close her eyes and mouth a chant. Reiatsu glowed around her hands and then she placed them on either side of his temples.

Ichigo's eyes wandered over to Hitsugaya and Momo. They looked like they were having a serious discussion, even though she was still trying to squirm out of his arms, but couldn't break out of the strong, firm hold he had on her.

Ichigo knew that moving over to join the quarreling lovebirds, or, he glanced over again, the one quarreling lovebird, was not a good idea right then. In fact, his presence was would be intrusive. Sometimes he hated the fact that he was so darn considerate of other people's feelings. He winced as he heard Momo yell out a profanity that he didn't even know she knew. She didn't seem to be the type. With a shrug, Ichigo turned back to the matter at hand. Besides, there was something he was wondering about...

"So, how are you going to pass off all these arrancar deaths?" Ichigo wasn't going to ask, really he wasn't, but his curiosity got the best of him and the question blurted out before he could think to hold it back. Now that it was out in the open, his eyes slid to the side in a show of indifference.

"Oh that's the easy part. These guys are all full of hate for everyone, even their own kind. It'll be a simple matter to pass it off as bein' at the wrong place, wrong time. You know they eat each other to gain that power, right?"

Ignoring the shocked looks on their faces, Ichimaru removed a slender hand from his sleeve and gestured to the remaining arrancar. "This faction tried to obliterate that faction. Same old, same old. Usually we just let 'em work it out amongst 'emselves. And that's what happened here, see, these three Espada unsealed their zanpakutou at the same time and attacked each other."

He then nodded at them and said, "Look at 'em, poor things, don't ya jes bleed for 'em?"

"So, what do we do to get out of here?" Ichigo asked, ignoring the man's glib manner, while he checked on Renji who although still pissed, at least had put away his zanpakutou.

Tucking one hand into his wide sleeve, Ichimaru withdrew a small object. At first it looked like a cube, but as one stared at it, it shifted, showing many sides. Then it shifted again and looked like a mere cube. But within the cube/not cube were twinkling colors swirling in what looked to be a milky white solution.

"This here will open a Spiritus Gate between us and the Soul Society, it's not really a gate as ya knows it, but works more like a transportation spell, but not."

"That's helpful," snorted Renji, "but not."

Ichigo tilted his head; he didn't get it either, but then, all they needed was a way home, not a science lesson.

"The main thing is it'll getcha where ya need to be. I wouldn't normally need this, but then again, I don't wanna leave any residue that could point back ta me, and this will do the trick."

With a conspiratorial wink, and if it was possible, the sly grin grew wider as he added, "I nicked it from ole clown face's secret research safe. Really, it was something that Urahara was workin' on but ole creepy didn' know how to use it. Now _there's _a body that could stand to warm his backside on a therapy couch." Upon saying that, he replaced the small, many-sided cube back in some inner pocket in his sleeve.

_No, _thought Ichigo, _now there's the zanpakutou calling the katana sharp _but he didn't say what he was thinking. Instead, he frowned, wondering about the little cube-that-wasn't-a-cube. That was going to get all of them home? Safely and in one piece? He didn't want to sound discouraging, but it didn't look powerful enough to do the job. However, it was, he decided, better than tapping his heels together three times and saying, 'There's no place like home.'

Instead, he remarked, "Sorta looks like a kid's toy, but without the batteries."

At that moment, Rukia called out and as one the three men turned to see her waving and pointing to the arrancar with the pink hair. He guessed she was saying that she was finished.

"Looks like it's time to go." For the first time since coming to that place, Renji smiled.

"Yeah, no place like home."

**Getting What You Want**

While Ichigo walked over to speak with Renji and Ichimaru, Momo tried to twist and turn in Hitsugaya's arms, but he was much stronger than her and continued to hold her flush up against him. After her pronouncement there was no way he was going to let loose of her just yet. He knew her well, very well indeed. Right now Momo was feeling embarrassed, foolish, and taken advantage of, and when feeling this way she resorted to one of two ways to deal with it. Flight or flight. It was an interesting character quirk that she was fearless when defending her friends, but fearful when it came to standing up for herself. If he let go of her now, she would blaze a trail for the nearest horizon and run until she slammed into the brick wall of forever. He had no intentions of letting her do that. Not after making a full confession that he wasn't about to let her forget.

"How dare you!"

"What?" His lips lifted, "How dare I not die?"

"YES!"

He wasn't upset with the answer because he knew what was coming next and with an eyebrow cocked upwards, waited patiently for it.

Momo continued trying to break out of the cage of his arms before giving up her struggles and slumping against him in defeat. With a soft sigh, she admitted in a low voice, "I still say that you weren't breathing, but I am very happy you aren't dead."

Again into her ear he whispered, "Then why run?"

"Because, because…. Well, it's because…Agh! Just let go of me!"

Momo didn't like to admit it, but she was nearly dying from embarrassment and was having a hard time now that her confession was out in the open. Not only did Shiro-chan hear it, but there was also a witness! Just thinking about it made her wiggle and squirm all over again, but Toshiro's arms were like iron bands around her and he gripped tighter until she couldn't move.

The shinigami girl huffed, blowing long bangs out of her eyes. Some stupendous and amazing cat burglar she turned out to be! It was really irksome to realize that she needed to be invisible to win a fight with Toshiro. Never, she promised herself, was she was ever going to admit to him that she was the cat burglar/action hero that fought him that night, especially since neither stinking career choice was helping her win her freedom. He had tricked her, she decided. Oh definitely that was it, waited until she was an emotional mess, proclaiming her love for everyone to hear, and then he had snapped her up. Entrapment, that's what the humans called it. Damn. How excruciatingly painful!

Then a thought occurred to and her movements ceased. Tilting her head back to try and get a glimpse of his face, she asked, "Wait a minute! If you weren't dead, how come you just lay there ignoring what was going on around you! Why didn't you get up earlier?"

"Because, although the blow hit me, it was screened and deflected by Hyourinmaru. You heard Ichigo, it did knock me out. But one positive side-effect was that while out of it, I was able to have a little chat Hyourinmaru. He no longer is able to take over my body, but we are more melded together than we were before. Then we had a little discussion on how, and who, should run my life. I won, but he's not pissed because we both end up getting what we want."

Curious, Momo asked, "You two fought?"

"You could say that."

"You won? But he's not upset?"

"No."

"What did you both want?"

There was a pause that Hitsugaya let stretch nearly to the breaking point. He turned his head until his lips grazed her ear and whispered, "You."

**Thanks for the Memories**

Rukia walked up to the three men, feeling drained and with dark circles showing under her eyes. When Ichigo immediately flashed to her side and placed a hand under her elbow, she didn't protest. She didn't remember being this tired before and it felt good to have his support. (Not that she would admit it.) She let him escort her back to Renji and Ichimaru.

"How'd it go?" asked Ichimaru in a courteous tone.

"Walk in the park," snapped Rukia, "What'd you expect?"

At his indifferent shrug she added, "The one called Ulquiorra took the longest. Of the three, he has the strongest mind and willpower. The other two were easier. Still, he would be the one you will have problems with if this doesn't work."

"It'll work. No worries there."

All three shinigami stared at him skeptically.

"What?" Thin silver eyebrows rose as if he was clueless as to why they were giving him such strange looks.

Ignoring him, Renji and Ichigo turned back to Rukia who was starting to sway slightly between them until again, and again Ichigo caught her by the elbow. Feeling bolder he then slid his arm around her lower back to support her and waited for the explosion. He was pleased and surprised when she let him pull her closer against his side.

"Are you okay?" Renji asked, eyeing her askance. It wasn't lost on him that she was letting Kurosaki practically hold her up but, he angled his face away so she couldn't see the smirk he was hiding.

Rukia wondered if she was coming down with something. She was feeling droopy and fuzzy-headed but also grateful. They had accomplished their mission, Momo was safe and no one had died. She looked up at Renji with a wry grin, thankful for her faithful friend. If Byakuya ni-sama was her older brother, then Renji was her twin. She had to admit, she had a strange 'family'. "Yes, I am fine, just a little pooped. Can we leave now?"

Ichigo yelled over his shoulder to where Hitsugaya and Hinamori sat, "Hey lovebirds! Get a move on, we're leaving!"

"And not a moment too soon," muttered Renji under his breath as he watched Hitsugaya flash to his feet and then help Momo up.

As soon as Hinamori and Hitsugaya arrived, (all stared pointedly but thought it wise not to make any remarks about his arm around Hinamori's waist holding her close) the five stood together in a loose group, and turned their attention to Ichimaru.

Again, Ichimaru reached into his sleeve and pulled out the small, yet deceptive looking, many-sided cube that held small multi-colored lights shimmering in it. He spoke something over it that they couldn't hear, reached a finger up and did some complicated tapping on one side of it and then looked up at the group staring at him with intent expressions.

"Look behind ya."

As one the group turned and watched as a few twinkling lights appeared out of thin air and then swiftly followed by more and more. Soon they separated and formed the points of a septilateral shape containing within it a rippling, watery surface like that of a pond on a windy day. At first the surface was blurry but gradually the scene sharpened. Once clear, it was like peering through a window into the Soul Society before them, specifically, the area in front of Third squad's barracks where Hitsugaya had confronted Ichimaru that day when Hinamori showed up to accuse the captain of the Tenth.

No one said anything but the mood of the group immediately grew very tense, to such a degree that even Ichigo could feel it. He looked back and forth at everyone trying to figure out why the group had gone rigid and had such grim looks on their faces, all that is, except for Ichimaru who looked the same as always.

"Can't be helped, had it set for that," remarked Gin Ichimaru lightly, although if Ichigo had to guess, it almost sounded like a bare hint of regret in his voice.

He also noticed that while Hinamori had taken a gasping breath, Hitsugaya looked so rigid that he might snap in half. There was a story here but he didn't know what it was, maybe Rukia would tell him later.

"So… what do we do?" Ichigo asked as he dropped his arm from Rukia's waist. He moved toward the shimmering lights that looked more like a window than the gate they had used to arrive in Hueco Mundo. Upon reaching it, the whole thing grew even larger as if sensing his approach. When the orange-haired human raised his hand to tap on the surface, it went through as easily as pushing his hand through air.

"It's big enough now, ya can step through it, but one by one," cautioned Ichimaru, "it gets a little temperamental when it has to transport more 'n one at a time."

"I'll go first then, and if anything happens," Renji remarked as he shouldered Ichigo aside, "please tensho him for me."

"Dang, ya bring a tear to ma eye with all that sweet talk," Ichimaru said, incessant grin splitting his face.

Renji backed up a few back and sprinted toward the window. When he got close, he leaped, straight into the middle of the window-gate. As he jumped through the red-haired lieutenant expected to feel some kind of resistance, but was surprised, and not a little shocked, when he didn't.

The rest of the team waited until they saw him turn around and give them his familiar smirk with 'a thumbs up' sign of success.

Then Ichigo turned to Rukia and said, "Ladies first," but with a twitch of his lips that let her know that he didn't expect her to take him on it.

She decided to surprise him. Walking up to it, she hesitated for a second and then stepped through.

Ichigo turned to Hitsugaya, saying, "Your turn."

The snow-haired captain turned to glare at Ichimaru and stated firmly, "We go together."

"But Toshiro, Ichimaru said that it might not…" Momo protested.

She didn't have a chance to finish her sentence, for Hitsugaya bent and scooped her off her feet before flash stepping through even as she was sputtering objections.

When everyone was safely through, Ichigo turned back to look at Ichimaru one last time, a hard light showing in his brown eyes.

"You know, I don't care what you do or do not tell Aizen. But know this, Aizen _is _going down, and if you tie your fate with his, you will go down to the gates of hell with him."

Ichigo turned, started for the hole and jumped through.

Once alone, Ichimaru dropped his smile and touched one side of the cube in his palm and the lights faded until nothing was left to show where the disturbance had been. Pausing, the ever-present smirk slid from Ichimaru's face as the seven-sided box in his hand shrank before vanishing up a voluminous sleeve.

"Stupid boy. I have already damned myself to hell and reside there. I would do this a million times and more…. For her. Always for her."

Then tipping his head to the side, he murmured, "But I wonder if those idiots even noticed how quickly she recovered?"

Then he shrugged and said, "But then, it's not my problem."

He turned to study the three arrancar, gave his head a little shake and then walked away. He wasn't going to lend them a hand, no one helped anyone here. It was considered a sign of weakness which was something he didn't have a problem with at all. However, what he would like to see around here was just a wee bit more color, after a while white on white was got to be depressing.

With a weary sigh and one last look over his shoulder to where the gate had been, he asked almost mournfully, "_Now _what am I going to do for fun?"

* * *

Momo's bankai is a combination of the 'Firebird' from the Russian folktale along with the cherub form described in the book of Ezekiel.

A heartfelt 'Thank you' to those who have left comments.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter,

_-Dwellin_


	14. Return Home

Bhu whaaa haaa haa, AT LONG LAST!  
Er, what I mean to say is...

I have never worked so hard or for so long over a chapter before. I was advised by my betas to rework this chapter. So I rewrote it and now it is longer, _way _longer than what it was at first. And now that it is done I can admit that I am thoroughly sick of it! Good riddance and I hope you like it. (Two odd and conflicting thoughts in one statement!)

To MillyT for her ninja-like beta jutsu skills (which is a good thing, believe me), and Aine of Knockaine for gentle encouragements in a velvet fist (again, a good thing). I couldn't do this without my two friends and betas helping me make this something that someone, somewhere, at some time, will want to read. Thanks ladies!

Tite Kubo, so jealous of you! Bleach belongs to him.

Updated: 9/20/12

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**Chapter 14**

**Return Home**

**This Is the Thanks I Get?**

Once Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Toshiro and Momo were on the Seireitei side of Ichimaru's gate, they looked at one another with questions in their eyes, all except Hitsugaya, who was already by Hinamori's side, eyes fixed on her.

"Is everyone okay?" Rukia asked.

Renji hacked and coughed and then spat onto the ground. "Damn, feel like I've been sucking on a sand dune all day."

Ichigo sat down and untied his sandals so he could strip off the socks and held up each by the toe while shaking sand out of them. With a frown of irritation he wiped his feet before turning the socks inside out and slipped them on before retying his sandals. While he was engaged in doing that, the others were brushing and patting down their own uniforms in an effort to get rid of some of the dust and sand.

"I hate being this dirty," said Momo as she slapped at the cat burglar costume, causing small puffs of dust to arise from it.

Since her socks went nearly up to her knee with bandages wrapped tight around her calves, she didn't have the same problem as the others with sand getting into her socks. That didn't console Momo much though because her clothing was sweat-stained and smelled. Her nose wrinkled and she made a face. In places the outfit felt glued to her like a second layer of skin. Once she got home these clothes were going straight into the trash.

"Worse than that, it itches places a guy can't scratch in public," grumbled Renji, shifting his shoulders, his body twitching as he stuck a leg and shook it before repeating the same action with his other leg. "I got sand where sand don't belong! I'm gonna have to soak for a month to…"

"Stop right there! I don't want to hear it and no one else does either!" Rukia ordered, eyes snapping with a dangerous glint that over the years Renji had learned to respect and heed.

"We all stink." Ichigo said while slapping at his shihakusho. An unhappy scowl met each dust billow.

"Okay then, what we need to do now is figure out what we are going to do first," Hitsugaya pointed out. He was the only one not slapping or swiping at his uniform. It was a matter of pride that he didn't want them to know he was as eager to strip out of his uniform and get cleaned up just as much as they did.

"Maybe the question should be is 'where is everyone else?'" said Renji scratching at an itch while scanning the area around them, "Although it seems kind of deserted. At the very least I thought the secret remote squad would be here; you know, all pumped and primed to boot our sand-covered asses straight into detention. So again I ask, where the hell is everyone?"

"Maybe there is something else going on more important than waiting on us to return." Rukia commented wryly with hands on her hips. "I bet they show up any minute."

"It doesn't matter where everyone else is," Ichigo said, an edge to his voice as he turned to pin an unwavering stare at Hitsugaya, "Weren't we going to arrest Toshiro's ass and throw him in one of the Fourth's cells when we returned?"

"What? Why?" Momo protested in a squawk, then she remembered the conversation earlier when Toshiro explained everything to her. "But wait! Hyourinmaru is no longer in control!" Momo gestured to Toshiro's eyes, "See, no silver, just the normal color."

Noticing the doubtful looks of the other three as they looked from her to Hitsugaya and back again, she also experienced a moment of doubt and glanced at Toshiro's eyes to make sure they were the normal jewel aqua blue before asking, "Isn't that true Shiro-chan? Hyourinmaru is where he is supposed to be, right?"

For his part, all Toshiro did was huff in annoyance as he glared first at Ichigo and the others before turning his attention back to Momo where the frown slowly melted under the worried gaze of her tawny brown-colored eyes.

With a twitch of his mouth being the only warning Momo got, he reached out and took her hand. Her warm eyes widened in surprise, but she allowed him to cup his hand around hers and even gave a receptive squeeze. It was amusing when the eyes of the other three about popped out of their heads at this unexpected show of fondness. They didn't have time to be astonished with his demonstration of affection in Hueco Mundo, but they were home now and Hitsugaya taicho was expected to act in a certain reserved manner.

Hitsugaya was well aware of how others viewed him when he first attained the rank of captain, and since then, had worked hard to change it. It had taken him years and years of persistent and painstaking effort to get people to stop treating him like a child (with Ukitake being the most annoying of the lot) and take him seriously. Now that he was treated with deference and respect, maybe it was time to unbend and show a side that was a little less aloof and indifferent. He knew he would never be as friendly as Ukitake, kindly and warm as Unohana, or as easygoing and fun loving as Kyoraku. It didn't matter. As for reputations, maybe it was time to shed the old one.

For her ears only, he whispered, "Things are going to be different this time. No more secrets, no more holding back, and finally, no more pretending otherwise." He pulled her close for a quick hug and then turned to the others while letting his hand slide down to Momo's hand to interlace his fingers with hers.

Momo felt her world wobbling, spinning off its axis. A sense of panic filled her, what was going on here? Things were changing a little too fast for her to process!

_Different? What "different"? What's gotten into him? No more pretending? No more secrets?! That's about all I've been doing lately! _

The vice-captain bit her lip. If she was cornered into revealing the whole cat burglar and action hero phase of late, Momo snuck a peek at Toshiro from the corner of her eye. She sighed softly to herself. There was no way she could keep a secret from him. That's why she placed that distance between them in the first place. He was so stinking observant and he always knew when she was trying to hide something from him, and in the past she had never been able to keep something a secret for long, he always got them out of her. _Face reality Momo, this is Shiro-chan! He can get lots angry. However it comes out, it's not going to be pretty, you can bet your sweet zanpakutou on it! _She was doomed.

Meanwhile, Hitsugaya was telling the others with a smirk, "As strange as it may seem, Hyourinmaru and I are both separated and back in our original states, if somewhat closer linked than we were before. However there won't be any more body stealing going on," Hitsugaya stated firmly.

He looked over at Hinamori who was looking frazzled and lost in worried thought. He rubbed his thumb lightly over her fingers as he continued, "But Kurosaki is right. I am sure that the order has not been rescinded yet. I will turn myself in."

Ichigo let out a pent-up breath, "Thanks. I didn't want this to get ugly."

"But ugly it will get ryoka!" A voice called out.

They spun and found the Captain of the Second Division facing them with a menacing glint in her eyes.

"As you know," her hand went to her sword and wrapped around the hilt, "When the Commander of the Punishment Forces unsheathes her zanpakutou it means a sanctioned execution is about to take place."

"_**I**_ didn't know that," growled Ichigo, and then to Rukia accusingly, "How _**come **_I don't know that?"

"You know it now! What more do you want?" Barked Renji, his hand unconsciously dropping to clasp Zabimaru while thinking _shit, shit, shit!_ "Why the freak doesn't anything, _ever_, go smoothly?!

Ichigo jabbed a finger at the intruder and asked, "Who's she?" The ability for remembering faces was not something he was known for, and having only seen this one briefly at Rukia's execution, it was quickly forgotten.

"Captain Soi Fon of Second Division. Not a pushover," Rukia informed him tightly.

"None of them of them ever are." With that remark Ichigo whipped Zangetsu off his back, the wrapping falling in curls at his feet unnoticed. "But I never let that stop me before, and it won't stop me now." He lowered the tip to the earth, showing he was ready for a fight if it came to it.

Ichigo's expression didn't show any sign of hesitation about battling yet another captain, especially when he believed them to be in the wrong. This was something that had been proven time and time again as he went up the Soul Society ladder fighting stronger and stronger shinigami until he made it to the captain level. And now, for the sake of a friend, he would think nothing of taking on Soi Fon if need be.

For her part, despite the conflict (and fear) from standing up to a captain, Rukia squared her shoulders while her hand drifted lower to rest on the pommel of her handle. Should the need warrant it, she was ready with the release command for 'Sode no Shirayuki' despite the grave repercussions of defying a captain. She felt Renji move until he was between her and Ichigo so that they presented a solid front. The trio stood silent as statues.

"Wait! Kurosaki!" snapped Hitsugaya as he faced his fellow captain. He eyed Soi Fon closely, taking in the sharp glint of her obsidian eyes, resolute and giving no quarter. All the signs pointed to an inevitable fight and he doubted he would be able to talk her out of it, but he had to try.

"Soi Fon I am going straight to the Fourth as ordered. No one here deserves the death sentence. No treason was committed."

With a smirking frown Soi Fon pointed out, "Yet treason it is Hitsugaya taicho, for I caught you all red-handed."

"Enough talk!" Ichigo snapped out, but his eyes took on an amber hue and seemed to burn with an inner fire coming out in his words, "I won't allow you to harm my friends! And if you try, I'll stop you!"

"Oh dear!" Momo breathed out quietly as she glanced back and forth between Soi Fon and Ichigo, uncertain what action to take, if any.

It was no secret that Ichigo had defeated the two strongest captains he had come against, but when fighting Soi Fon it didn't mean the confrontation would necessarily stay a one-on-one fight. If she wanted, dozens from the Punishment Force could materialize in their unsettling uniform with the collar coming up to cover mouths and noses, leaving only bald heads and dark eyes, all looking like clones of each other.

Momo blew out a shaky breath, straightened her shoulders and then determinedly announced, "I am the one who should be punished. None of these here would have…"

"Cease speaking you pathetic weakling! If I want to hear you whine I'll whip it out of you."

Turning her dark eyes from Momo to the rest of them, she went on, "I meant it when I said _all _of you. Your crimes are unforgivable! You are rogue shinigami!"

While still frowning at them, a cruel smirk spread across her lips; one aimed to drain hope from her victims. She began to stalk back and forth in front of them intending to go on with her rant when she was unexpectedly cut off, and by the one least expected to show any backbone

"This is totally unfair!" protested Momo, shaking off Hitsugaya's hand before taking a step forward, however she was so upset that she couldn't think of anything else to say. But it became obvious to her that Soi Fon taicho wasn't near as frightening as the arrancars, Ichimaru, and the constant state of fear she experienced over the past several hours. Her arms came down and she moved up on the balls of her feet, ready to spring into action even if she didn't have the vaguest clue what said action was going to look like.

Hitsugaya however, knew Soi Fon better than Momo and grabbed the incensed vice-captain, pulled her back to him so that she was pressed against his chest and then wrapped his right arm around her waist. At first she stiffened and tried to remove his arm, determined to protect the group from the captain of the Second, but was surprised to find that Shiro's grip was like iron and she couldn't break his hold.

"Stop it Momo!" Hitsugaya hissed into her ear. "She can easily kill you and won't stop to think twice about it!"

"But she is being unreasonable!" But Momo stopped trying to escape, while squelching a childish desire to stamp her foot in frustration. After all the time consuming, muscle-aching training she had accomplished, not to mention attaining bankai, and she couldn't move Shiro's arm? It was _more_ than totally unfair!

"She can be judge and jury, that's her right as Second Division's Captain. Do not try and attack her again. I will immobilize you if I have to." He could have sighed in relief when she went silent which he took to mean that she agreed with him. Toshiro released his hold so that his hand could be free in case he needed to release Hyourinmaru.

Hitsugaya gave her one more look before turning his attention back to his fellow captain. Hinamori may not realize it but he was serious. If need be, he was ready to wrestle her to the ground if that was what it meant to keep her from attacking Soi Fon. It was suicidal! Soi Fon could and would put her down without breaking a sweat! Normally he wouldn't have to worry about this. Momo might question a captain's behavior, but she never before this time had she acted like she was ready to take a captain head on in a fight.

"What is it with you people?" Ichigo asked as he studied the female captain with a glower.

Soi Fon shot him a withering glance; her eyes were hot with contempt. It was hard to believe that this little snot-nosed human was the ryoka that defeated Zaraki and Kuchiki. It could be that both had underestimated the orange-haired human. How had he defeated them? The she dismissed him with a sneer and turned her attention back to the captain of the Tenth. For now she would let them chatter uselessly amongst themselves, covertly studying the orange-haired ryoka even as she pretended to focus on Hitsugaya.

"I think the question should be: What is it with _**you**_? _**You're **_the one who is always pissing people off!" snarled Renji, who was gripping Zabimaru's hilt so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. "Ichigo, captains don't have to be right, only obeyed."

"Yes they do, in fact, it should be their duty to do the right thing, not just the lawful thing," intoned Ichigo flatly, his eyes were hot and brow furrowed as he glared at the captain of the Second.

It was at inconvenient times like this that reminded Renji that Ichigo hadn't been trained like an average soul reaper. His ideals bordered on the insane at times. Still, he had to give him credit for Rukia was alive today because of Ichigo's unorthodox views.

Speaking of the other member of their trio, Renji shot a look over to Rukia to see how she was handling this. After the way his friend practically insisted on being executed before Ichigo rescued her, he wouldn't be surprised if she helped Soi Fon slap the cuffs on them so it was with some surprise to observe the fierce expression on her face, which was immediately schooled into a more respectful look as Hitsugaya shouldered past her.

"Don't you think it would be wiser to bring let the Captain-General make a decision concerning us before unsheathing your zanpakutou?" Toshiro asked quietly.

"First, you consort with insolent fools, left Seireitei without permission, used a gate to the enemy Captain Hitsugaya, and have become a disgrace, bringing shame on us all! You know I am entrusted with the command of the Second Division, the Secret Remote squad, and the Punishment Forces. My judgment is not to be questioned!"

Soi Fon took careful note as the ryoka boy's reiatsu spiked and the very air around him filled with dangerous intent. Her eyes narrowed as they clashed with the seething glower of the ryoka; she vowed not to make the same mistake of underestimating him as had her fellow captains.

Leaping in front of everyone and lifting Zangetsu to point in her face, Ichigo snarled out, "Well _**I **_question it!"

Then lifting one hand from his bandage-wrapped hilt, to stab an accusing finger at her he proclaimed, "I've seen your type before. The whole inflated ego trip just drips off you types. How'd you get this job anyway? Shouldn't there be some kind of mental fitness evaluation before they let little tyrants like you have so much say in who is to be executed or not?"

Soi Fon's face grew dark with anger. Renji paled, while Rukia's eyes darted back and forth between the two, and Hinamori let out a quiet gasp. Hitsugaya barely suppressed the urge to clap a hand across his face in sheer frustration.

Everyone, except Ichigo tensed and expected the worst; he merely leveled a disgusted glare at her and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet before lowering into a coiled stance, ready to spring.

Hitsugaya closed his eyes and blew out a breath. Between Kurosaki and Momo, he just wasn't catching a break! The worst part however, (and there was a worst part) was that he couldn't seem to think straight! Finally, he did the only thing uppermost on his mind; he took a step back to address Momo. When she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, he could see the question in her eyes wondering what he was doing.

He turned and whispered over his shoulder to Momo," If you so much as move, I **will **put a binding spell on you. Just let me handle this while you stay back there." With that, Hitsugaya turned again and moved swiftly to Ichigo's side.

Momo was left sputtering silently in rage at being treated like an unruly academy student. This was the last straw! Her eyes narrowed in anger as she glared at his black-clad back, refusing to acknowledge how the fabric tightened under the movement from the muscles of his broad shoulders.

"You wouldn't dare!" she hissed back, furious.

Irritated that he had to deal with this at such a touchy moment, Hitsugaya looked over his shoulder again; this time with lids lowered halfway over his huge blue-green orbs, as he warned in a flat voice, "Try me," while adding a punch of reiatsu to give his warning an extra emphasis.

Momo's eyes widened in an incredulous look, but when his inflexible, stony gaze bore down on her relentlessly, she flinched and finally looked down to break the eye contact.

While Toshiro and Momo were having their little disagreement, Ichigo took advantage of the moment and took a step in front of Hitsugaya and the others.

Soi Fon had come to a decision. During the time she had been sizing him up, there was not a shred of evidence that she could find to prove that his spiritual pressure was any greater than that of a lower level shinigami. No need to draw her zanpakutou to take care of this one!

"Well Renji?" asked Rukia out of the side of her mouth. "Are you ready to do this?" She heard the sound of a let-out breath before a quiet, "Yeah, let's do this" was said in return.

Renji lowered into a crouch, ruefully thinking it wasn't as if he had expected a parade when they got home, but would it have been too much to ask for a "Hi, welcome back!"? Just once?

Apparently it was.

Then, it was if the very air around them exploded in a frenzy of violence.

**Just Having Fun**

Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia were hit so fiercely and quickly it was as if they were all punched in the gut at the exact same moment. All three went flying back and crashed into trees or walls while Soi Fon's bitter and mocking laughter rang out in their ears.

Ichigo was the first to recover. When he stabbed the Zangetsu's tip into the ground, Soi Fon lifted an eyebrow in derision. What could he possibly do to her without his zanpakutou? But then, what could he possibly do to her _**with **_his zanpakutou? Even if he wished to attack her now, it was too late for he and his friends were surrounded on all sides by guards from the punishment force.

"Great! Now all her goons showed up!"

"Shut up Renji and fight!"

"Like I'm just sitting here picking my nose!?"

"Yuck! My brother needs to sign you up for etiquette lessons."

The comments ceased between them, as each was quickly absorbed in fending off their attackers. Each had a small group surrounding them, keeping them occupied.

As for Ichigo, with several blows he had knocked out his opponents and sprang to engage in battle with Soi Fon, whether she expected it or not.

Jumping, leaping about, and moving too quickly for the naked eye to follow, Ichigo and Soi Fon traded blows and kicks.

Soi Fon was surprised to find that after the first surprise strike she landed on him, the ryoka boy was holding his own, and that just pissed off the Second's taichou even more. She got in a few unanticipated blows before he was able to compensate and block them. Being the professional that she was, and a captain-class shinigami, she changed her game up each time he was able to predict her next move. However, for the first time in ages, she didn't have the upper hand in the fight from the get-go.

Every kick, punch, and hit, was blocked and worse, more and more he was getting through her defenses, landing strikes that caused her to gasp in pain. But she was firm in this one thing: No ryoka trash was going to come in and make fools of the Gotei Thirteen!

The head of the punishment forces grinned viciously, belying her astonishment, as they exchanged blows for the irony didn't escape her. If he weren't such a thorn in the side he would make a great sparring partner. Still, the short woman did have a few tricks up her sleeves that should end this little charade. She hated to end this too quickly; it would be fun to toy with the little….

In a shock so profound that it was near paralyzing, Soi Fon found herself flying back through the air to smash into and through a brick wall, shattering it into smithereens as she landed amidst the debris beyond it. After blinking dizzily a few times, she realized she was staring up at a beautiful blue sky. The only noise to be heard was the ringing in her ears

Blinking a few times, and then a few more, Soi Fon fought against a lightheaded feeling when suddenly a blob of orange filled her vision before realizing she was looking up into the face of the hated ryoka. _Powerful little shit_, she told herself, while fighting the woozy feeling in her head. Just give her a few seconds to shake off the effects of the blow and she would be up again ready to release Suzumebachi. It galled her that she would have to resort to her zanpakutou against an unarmed ryoka.

"Are you okay?" asked a curt voice, although she heard only a muffled question as if he were speaking through wadded cotton stuffed in her ears.

With a speed that was legendary among shinigami, Soi Fon regained her feet and leapt away from the human. She didn't want or need his pity.

Once Soi Fon was a good distance away, she gasped trying to subdue the queasy feeling in her stomach and the slight wobble to her knees. Taking in deep breaths she waited for the effects of the stomach punch Ichigo had landed, to subside.

Ichigo shrugged and moved over to Renji and Rukia who were surrounded by a small ring of guards.

With a grunt of impatience, Ichigo practically tossed the guards over his shoulder thereby opening a path to his friends. When he stood in front of them, he looked them both over while asking if they were hurt.

"Oh no, not even winded, just warming up still," panted Renji, leaning on Zabimaru.

"Are you all right Ichigo?" Rukia managed to ask between deep breaths. Then she jerked her head to the side, indicating that Ichigo should move out of her line of sight so she could keep an eye on their attackers. Both she and Renji kept their soul cutters in the unreleased state. No need to make this worse than it already was, which was also why the guards kept returning after being smacked away. They weren't weak amateurs either.

**We'll Talk Later**

While others were busy in the melee` Hitsugaya found that himself engaged in a different kind of battle than one he had intended. His expectations were that he and Ichigo would open a path for the others to escape through, and hopefully find the more easygoing, understanding captains before they were captured or hurt.

To his horror, as soon as Soi Fon moved to deliver the first strike, Momo leaped forward while reaching for her zanpakutou.

Before she was even mid-lunge, Hitsugaya snapped his fingers. Immediately Momo's legs buckled from underneath her and instantly her knees caved in and slammed to the ground. Tobiume clattered down next to her. At first her light brown eyes went wide with shock but she quickly recovered when realizing what had happened.

"Let me go Shiro!" She demanded. When she glared up at him she knew at once it was useless. He was not going to budge.

In that cool and maddeningly composed voice of his, he informed her, "I warned you Momo; and now you will wait here until this whole thing is over." And then, he leaned in over her a bit and his voice dipped even lower in a whisper that sent shivers through her, "I will not lose you, even if it is against your will."

Hinamori fumed angrily in her slumped position, hating feeling so helpless.

Even though his back was turned, Hitsugaya was not unaware of Soi Fon's retreat to put distance between her and Ichigo after being effortlessly tossed through a wall. Despite the seeming reprieve for the time being, he turned from Momo and in a motion too swift to see, unsheathed Hyourinmaru and yelled, "Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!" He was going to make sure there was no more fighting.

The frosted air and frigid water spun in the air and splashed out covering everything within a three ri_**1**_ distance.

**Wrong Time of Year for Ice**

"Ah, so now you decide to come out from behind that worthless child's skirts, Hitsugaya, child-captain!"

Soi Fon flashed closer and gestured off to her side. Instantly, her men flash stepped behind her, waiting for an official order. Now she would rid the Soul Society of the ryoka and pass judgment on the rest for she had decided that the strike Ichigo had landed was a mere lucky punch that wouldn't be repeated. However even she was beginning to understand, and had to admit, even if reluctantly, that there were the hidden depths to this ryoka boy.

Taking in deep breaths to calm herself, Soi Fon ordered her still wobbly knees to stop trembling, a condition infuriating her to no end, as she considered her opponents. Better to finish them all off as quickly as possible. Her gaze swept over the frost and ice covering the ground, trees, grass, buildings, and walls around them,

Soi Fon was feeling less confident than she let on, yet still let a wicked grin form as she said, "Now let's end this, shall we?"

All the ice-covered surfaces gleamed and sparkled under the warmth of the afternoon sun, but no one gave it another glance even as it began to steam and melt. Soi Fon glanced from the ryoka to Hitsugaya, trying to decide which one to mark first with Suzumebachi's Homonka.

"Leave these others Soi Fon, and fight me!" snarled the white-haired captain; the sharp-spiked tips of his locks sparkled silver in the frosty air. The ice and snow around him defied the warm rays of the sun and refused to melt. In addition to that, ice so pure it was silver-blue spread out from under his feet toward the place where Soi Fon and her men were standing.

Hitsugaya's eyes glowed frosty-blue green while holding a dark challenge of warning while his lips lifted into a smirk.

With a matching snarl of her own, she goaded him with the taunt she was sure would set him off, "Fine then little ice boy, let's see what you can do against a grown up!"

"Hate to disappoint you Soi Fon, but insults like that aren't going to work anymore."

"I will tolerate you no longer!" She screamed back at him, nearly trembling with rage.

A blast of reiatsu blew outward in all directions from Soi Fon, inadvertently lifting and throwing her guards far behind her, but she didn't care. All subordinates were expendable.

Rukia, Renji and Ichigo having watched the exchange, moved to stand next to Toshiro. He was about to order them back as he wanted to face Soi Fon one-on-one when they were interrupted by her yell.

"Jinteki Shaku…"

Without warning, spiritual pressure slammed into all of them, catching them off guard to stumble backwards a few paces before they could recover.

All of a sudden, a large, gnarled hand came down and clasped around Soi Fon's. Another blast hit them, but this time the massive spiritual pressure rested on everyone and anchored those in the immediate area to the ground. Even Ichigo and Hitsugaya looked uncomfortable under the unbelievable weight of reiatsu. Since the origin of the concentration of power was right next to Soi Fon, she was the most affected. Her shoulders bowed as sweat appeared and ran down her face. She struggled to stand upright under the pressure that was intentionally bearing down on her.

Even before she looked up, Soi Fon knew the hand keeping her from drawing her zanpakutou.

**Now That's a Burden Off My Mind**

Without any sign of effort on the Captain-General's part, Soi Fon's blade slid back the few inches back into place.

Soi Fon stared wide-eyed at the knotted muscles and veins of an ancient hand, and then her gaze went scaling up along his arm to the wizened scars of his head and then down and over the long, banded beard. Unaware that her mouth had dropped open, her eyes went up again to take in the gaunt cheekbones, aged eyes so lost in the folds of drooping flesh that they couldn't be seen, and finally flickered up to the two crisscrossed scars on his forehead and the balding head.

It didn't matter what he looked like, the reiatsu rolling off the very first Captain came in overwhelming waves pressing down on her body and also making it hard to breathe normally.

Before Soi Fon could raise any questions, a crowd suddenly appeared at the edges of the area where the combatants had been squaring off against each other.

Circling around the group were all the other captains along with their assistant captains. Some stared with concerned eyes at the small group in the center while others looked on without expression. Hitsugaya caught a glimpse of Matsumoto and turned to study her worried face. He gave a bare nod of the head to let her know that he was fine. He knew she wouldn't do anything stupid, unlike a certain chestnut-haired female he knew so well.

Renji caught a glimpse of his captain's impassive face in the group and like always, he was unable to discern what the noble was thinking. The red-haired shinigami tried his best to keep his eyes from drifting in that direction, but it made his skin crawl knowing his taicho was staring at him with that calm look that Renji always interpreted as critical and disapproving. He winced, all this had to happen just as they were starting to work out a fairly stable relationship based more on respect and less on hostility and aggression (mainly on Renji's part).

Rukia saw Ukitake taicho, his hands folded into his sleeves. When he caught her eye, he gave her a small nod and friendly smile. Her heart filled with warmth at the gesture and her confidence came flooding back.

"Sir! They deserve punishment!" protested Soi Fon to the head captain but then shot the group a hate-filled glance. "And I have that right!"

"Step down Soi Fon taicho. You were not informed of this matter."

Soi Fon looked stricken. What? Something secret was in the works and she didn't know about it? How dare she not be involved!

Lifting his head, the ancient leader of the Thirteen Court Guards turned to face the group. Upon his appearance all had straightened from their defensive postures and sheathed their zanpakutou with the air of small children found with their hands in the cookie jar, all that is except for Hitsugaya. In a graceful, smooth sweep, he sheathed his blade. Then he spared a glance back a Momo who was still glaring at him and didn't care who saw it. He knew he wasn't going to be forgiven anytime soon, but he didn't care. She was safe and that was all that mattered.

Hunched with the age of uncounted centuries weighing down on him, the commander leaned on the zanpakutou disguised as a walking stick, and moved slowly until he stood between Soi Fon and the group.

Even though the Captain of the First's reiatsu emanated from him in a mere trickle, it was so deep and forceful that Renji and Rukia's knees were threatening to buckle even as the sweat rolled down their faces.

Ichigo and Hitsugaya fared better but even they labored to keep their knees from shaking. The old man's spiritual pressure was frighteningly powerful even restrained as it was.

Despite the strain, Hitsugaya moved while glancing at Yamamato who didn't give any indication of emotion either way. When he was beside Hinamori, he released the binding restraint on Momo and bent down to lift her up. The silver-haired youth pulled her close in spite of the elbow she tried to jab into his side. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Toshiro cradled her against his side, shielding her from the worst of the reiatsu bearing down on all of them. Still, he could feel Momo's trembling and her effort to keep from collapsing even as she huffed at him indignantly since she was unable to jab him.

Standing hunched before them, the old man leaned on his walking stick and studied them through the folds of his eyes. Everything about the physical form of the captain of the First drooped, his brow, his eyebrows, the wrinkled skin of his cheeks, the beard and mustache too, but once those eyes landed on a person, the power of his station and rank, along with the wisdom of commanding for centuries, stripped away any pretentious thoughts one had of him being old, doddering, or weak.

Hitsugaya wondered how Aizen had been able to fool the aged teacher and commander of the Soul Society. It seemed inconceivable that even the head of the First had been taken in by Aizen's zanpakutou's hypnotic powers.

Studying the youth before him before he said in a deep, gravelly voice, "You young Hitsugaya (who pulled a frown at that. Soi Fon's taunts didn't bother him, but this, coming from the First, did), report to Captain Unohana at the Fourth. She is expecting you."

"Sir," Hitsugaya twitched when the force of those ancient eyes came back to rest on him. He licked his lips before requesting, "Sir, excuse my rudeness, but I humbly request that I may be allowed to stay until you are finished speaking to all of us?"

The ancient shinigami considered it a moment and then nodded. Without realizing what they were doing, the rest of the group moved closer together, shoulders nearly touching, as they waited for his pronouncement. What was said next surprised all of them except for one.

"Momo Hinamori, come forward."

When Momo started forward, Toshiro also made a motion as if to take a step with her but when the old man's eyes landed on him, he immediately froze in place, marveling at the head captain's strength of will as he did so.

Trembling and not trying to hide it, Momo moved closer until she was unable to proceed any further under his overwhelming spirit pressure. Respectfully, she bowed deeply before him.

The Captain-General held out his hand and at the same time cloaked his pressure to which Momo let out a small sigh of relief, as did most around her, although some hid it better than others. However, Momo was still unable to curb the trembling of her hands as they reached into her outfit and pulled all the papers and documents she had stolen from Aizen's war room. Taking a few tentative steps forward, she placed them in his outstretched hand.

"The Hougyoku?"

The heavy brows caused deep shadows where his eyes were so Momo couldn't tell if he was looking at her or not, but she felt by his reiatsu that his attention was totally focused on her. That made her stomach flutter and she hoped she didn't squeak, burp, or worse, toss her cookies right in front of all the captains and their lieutenants.

"My deepest apologies Sir, I failed to retrieve it. It is hidden someplace that only Aizen knows of. For what it is worth, Ichimaru told me that Aizen doesn't trust anyone with the secret of its hiding place."

"Ah, if I can trust what that trickster has to say then I am sorry to hear that."

"Sir I tried to bring back the most important papers I could find. Some of these are maps and others are intelligence gathered about our weaknesses versus theirs along with several different invasion plans."

She lifted her eyes and found that his dark eyes were open in the aged folds of skin. Momo peered up at his face as his gazed down to regard the papers in his hand. Then he lifted them to study Momo who tried to pull herself up into some semblance of decorum and ignore the soiled and grimy state of her clothing.

When the head captain spoke again, his voice was amused, and with a timber of warmth that shocked everyone there, "It's a shame about the Hougyoku, but all the same child, well done, well done indeed. You may have given us the edge in this upcoming struggle with the renegades. You have my thanks and the gratitude of the Soul Society. You will be well rewarded, Momo Hinamori."

Stammering, Momo whispered, "I…, I…, d…don't need a reward sir."

Then staring down at her toes she confessed, "I did it for selfish reasons, reasons based on fear, so you see, it was really for me that I did this. I couldn't bear to lose my friends."

Out of the corner of her eyes she glanced to the side to where Hitsugaya was standing, "Especially one of my very best friends." Her voice sank to a mere whisper, "For if that were to happen, I couldn't live with it, or with myself."

Momo's eyes returned to stare down at her toes. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her head and started trembling harder. The truth was out. No longer was it a secret that she was weak, afraid of the pain of loss and separation, overly emotional, and incurably sentimental. These were the reasons she had acted, not for the honor of the Soul Society or to bring judgment down around the heads of the three traitors. Soi Fon was right to call her pathetic!

The silence after her confession stretched out to the point that Momo's nerves were ready to snap if something didn't happen soon.

Finally the First's captain's deep voice broke the tension, "Would that all were as selfish as you Momo Hinamori."

Stunned, Momo's head snapped up to look him in the face. What she expected to see there was judgment, disapproval, and criticism, but instead, understanding and kindness… and, even a twinkle of amusement? Before she had time to decide, his face changed back to that of the strict commander of the Gotei Thirteen. He turned from Momo and faced the group. Again, he let the silence stretch out as he surveyed them.

Then, with a slight shake of his head, he said, "Young. You young ones believe that all one's problems will be solved if one only acts immediately and rashly, which usually entails vigorously swinging a sword at all opposition. Who knows what ripples in the stream you have made that will come back to you in rivers. You only know in part and do not see clearly all that is going on around you."

"Uh Sir, what we were plan-," offered Renji.

"SILENCE!"

No one moved. Not a muscle twitched. Deep silence descended and stretched out over the group. It was a nerve-wracking stillness, yet no one dared to break that silence until the Commander gave leave. The bent back and aged, gnarled hands belied the power that rested in that frame. He let his gaze wander over everyone there making sure he had their attention.

Huffing out through his mustache, he chided them, "Young rascals all of you! And worse, thinking that your own wisdom is better than anyone else's that you heed not any of the rules set in place. Do you think old folk just sit around making up rules to curb your fun?"

Not sure if his berating remarks were intended only to the knotted group directly in front of him or if he also included his other captains and their subordinates in that general criticism, Renji offered "Well, you see, the idea was…" Renji started, but suddenly lost all breath as he grabbed his side where Rukia slammed her elbow into him. He glared at her and she glared right back at him.

"Shut it, you idiot! He wasn't looking for an answer!" Rukia hissed at him from the side of her mouth.

She wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment. A trickle of sweat moved down her sides and Rukia could feel the eyes of everyone around them staring at Renji, and by default, at her also since she was right next to him. She dared not turn her head for fear of seeing the censure in her brother's face.

As if nothing had taken place, the First Captain went on, "Suffice it to say, your elders have been making plans, have spies out, and we are preparing for war," his eyelids opened wide and all of them felt a rush of reiatsu flood over them, making all the vice-captains stumble backward and the captains sway in place.

"You young pups will have your part, do not doubt that, but from now on, if you feel you must run around waving your little sticks in the air in a threatening manner, come see me first. I have just the outlet for that kind of energy and I can assign all of you to many various and different war efforts."

He let that sink in, then again, having lived as long as he had and seen as much as he had he doubted it would.

"Renji Abarai," his old eyes sought out the redhead.

Renji straightened and tried to look more attentive than he already was, but didn't say anything in response.

Rukia went to jab him in the side again, but he dodged it, however it didn't stop her form hissing at him, "Now you idiot! NOW you say, 'Yes Sir!'" Rukia let out an irritated breath. Here he was a vice-captain now and yet was still barely housebroken! It was a good thing that he was in the Sixth Division. Given enough time, her brother should be able to whip him into a civilized soul reaper.

"Uh, yes sir?"

"You will report to your division. I hear your captain is eager to have a chat with you."

Now Renji broke out in a full-body sweat. This so did not bode well for him. He snuck a look askance at the distant and impassive face of the captain of the Sixth. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he heartily wished they were still facing Soi Fon.

"Dismissed," intoned the Captain-General and Renji's face snapped forward again.

"Yes sir!" And Renji used shunpo to get as far away as fast as possible. Even though he had left the scene first, he didn't have a doubt in the least that his captain would be at the Sixth's office waiting for him, sitting behind his desk with nary a hair out of place. He increased his pace. "Shit!"

"Rukia Kuchiki."

"Yes sir." Rukia said smartly, trying to look even more attentive than Renji.

"First you will report back to your division. When your captain is satisfied, your brother has requested you check in with him at the Kuchiki estates."

Rukia swallowed hard. 'Checking in' with Byakuya nii-sama sounded so ordinary, so normal, yet it was anything but! He would have something to say to her about this whole mess, no doubt about it! Like her redheaded friend, she too snuck a peek at her brother and saw the same thing as Renji, Byakuya's enigmatic black eyes boring holes through her. Turning back to the Captain-General she bowed respectfully and also flash stepped away.

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo frowned at the old man in front of him. There was no way he was going to admit to how much the Captain-General's presence was affecting him. It was way stronger than Zaraki's spiritual pressure.

"Yeah. Uh, I mean, 'yes sir'." He wasn't trying to be surly; it just came out that way.

"You may return to the human world." Yamamoto taicho stared at the orange-haired youth for a moment, studying him. "You have done well here, despite having acted with impulsive and reckless actions. Your love for your friends serves you well."

Ichigo blinked. That was unexpected. Unable to help himself, he stuck his bottom lip out, looked off to the side, and scowled, saying, "I couldn't just leave… you know she might have…. Yeah, well, whatever old man," came rushing out of his mouth before he could stop himself. His scowl vanished as he cleared his throat, so much for being polite! "Uh…"

"But we do have a problem with you."

Ichigo's brows lowered into a fierce scowl.

"You are constantly underfoot, and keep finding ways to sneak in and cause a ruckus. What are we to do with you boy?"

One of Ichigo's eyebrows began to twitch and he waved his hand as he sarcastically quipped, "No need to thank me, really, it's just what I do. Well, if that's it, then I'll just be going."

"Ho ho, aren't you a witty boy…" The ancient shinigami lifted and slammed his walking stick on the ground causing the ground to heave and tremble for a second before fading.

The onlookers could swear that steam was rising from the ryoka boy's head but the old man ignored it. Instead he looked over at Ukitake and said, "Jushiro, you can bring it over now," while waving for him to approach.

"Huh?" Puzzled, Ichigo watched Ukitake walk over, carrying something in both hands wrapped in a cloth.

"You may give it to the ryoka boy now and explain it to him."

Ukitake moved in front of Ichigo and unwrapped something that looked like it was made of thick metal, with a stylized skull on one side.

The longhaired captain smiled as he watched Ichigo lean over to stare at the badge he held out for the young man's inspection. Ichigo poked it with a finger and then tapped it a couple of times with his fingernail before looking up at Ukitake for an explanation.

"Since ancient times, we have acknowledged those who have helped the Soul Society. It is our custom to give them this pass."

"Pass? As in, like a hall pass? So what, now I can get into any Soul Society bathroom without getting hassled?"

Ukitake laughed softly and lifted a hand to rub behind his head. "No, no, not like that. It's called a 'Deputy Soul Reaper Combat Pass'. Only Soul Reapers may use the pass, as it is dangerous to anyone else; it is very powerful and has many abilities so be careful with it. It also means that you are a Deputy Soul Reaper now, not just a substitute."

Since Ichigo seemed reluctant to take it, Ukitake reached over and took a hand before placing the pass in his palm.

"You are no longer a ryoka, Ichigo Kurosaki. You are now are a friend," intoned the voice of the head captain.

"Huh! It looks pretty cool. Just wait…" Ichigo looked up to see everyone's eyes on him, "Yeah, well, thanks. I, uh, appreciate it."

Thick, white eyebrows rose although no other emotion registered on the head captain's wizened face. Ichigo couldn't say for sure if he saw a ghost of a smile twitch across the old man's mouth before he said, "You too, have done well here young one, you may leave."

"Uh, right, see ya," and he darted off before anyone remembered to scold him any further.

Raising his lined and scarred head, the First's captain ordered, "You are all dismissed."

The crowd immediately dispersed except for Soi Fon who was livid with anger at the traitor's unexpected reprieve and the light treatment the rest of the group had received.

"Soi Fon."

"Yes sir?"

"Leave us."

"But…"

"I will not repeat myself."

"Yes sir," it was said in a crisp tone, but the eyes that slid over Hitsugaya and Hinamori were seething with contempt. With one last heated look, she flash stepped away.

The elderly captain of First Division rested his eyes on the two remaining soul reapers.

And waited.

Sweat was forming and Momo imagined that the sweat trickling down her side and back was picking up dirt and dust along the way making the trickles turn into muddy rivulets sliding down her body. What she would give for a long, hot bath!

Feeling the heavy gaze of the First's captain, it was hard to keep from shifting from one foot to the other like a small child caught misbehaving in class. It didn't matter that she was the lieutenant of the Fifth, and a master in the use of kido, not when facing this dignified, ancient face that exemplified all that it meant to be a shinigami. Despite having the Captain-General's permission and knowledge of her mission, she was one frayed nerve away from snapping. Although she could think of a couple of good things, one being that they weren't going to be executed, but the other was that she didn't have to be Momo the cat burglar or an action hero anymore. The thing she couldn't figure out then or now, was once she had been caught in the act by the Captain of the First of trying to steal into his office, he still insisted on her carrying out her original plan and without telling a single person.

Snapping out of her musings, she saw the head captain's turn his attention to Toshiro.

"Captain Hitsugaya, now you may turn yourself over to Unohana for a complete physical. You will remain under her supervision until such a time as she sees fit to release you before you return to your duties."

The weight of his gaze was heavy and he let the moment stretch.

"Yes, you will return to full status as captain of the Tenth Division and all that the responsibility entails. Now, be off with you both, it is time for my tea and this whole affair has made me quite cranky."

They didn't hesitate; both Hitsugaya and Hinamori flash stepped toward the Fourth Division.

**What's That on the Roof? (It sort of looks like an action hero)**

As they were racing along the rooftops, at Momo-speed, not Toshiro-speed since she would not have been able to match him, the silver-spiked shinigami asked sourly, "You were on a mission this whole time? Why didn't you tell me?"

Momo stopped short and Toshiro rocketed past her in a blur until he noticed and flash stepped back to her side with an irritated look on his face.

In a quick glance, Toshiro took in the apprehension she was trying to hide. He watched silently as her fingers twisted around each other in a nervous dance. Unruffled, he crossed his arms over his chest and tucked his hands into his sleeves. Compounding her discomfort, he let the silence lengthen. He knew her well, and could tell an inner struggle was going on as she debated with herself about telling him something he wouldn't like.

Momo's eyes darted back and forth from Toshiro's face to… anything she could find to land on, thinking furiously. She really didn't want to tell him anything, especially right now before she had time to compose herself. Besides hadn't he already been hurt enough by her distance over the past weeks? The longer the quiet went on, the worse it was getting and now she had to tell him something. But which something?

"Uhm, Shiro-chan?" She was looking off to the side so she wouldn't have to look him in the face.

"Momo," he stated matter-of-factly.

"There's something I need to tell you," _Because I know you will find out some way or another and then you won't stop bullying me until you get me to admit it s_he thought resignedly. Besides, maybe it was better to reveal some of this now. He was expected at Fourth Company and wouldn't have time to get into a 'discussion' now.

"I hope this has to do with why you thought it necessary to accept a mission of this magnitude." _And without telling me! _He added to himself. Toshiro was pleased with the how calm and even his voice sounded because at the moment he was nearly shaking with anger mixed with delayed fear.

In a rush that nearly left her breathless, Momo told him of her epiphany behind the tree while Renji and Kira talked between themselves believing they were alone. With chestnut head bent, she kept her eyes lowered because she didn't want to look up and see the angry flashing in his bright turquoise glare.

So, with eyes on her clasped hands that twisted and turned, she told him how much he had done for her and she never appreciated him before this. She apologized for hanging onto her belief that Aizen was innocent, and worse, believing him over Toshiro.

There was a moment when she stumbled over her words when she admitted to him how much he meant to her, and that she liked him, a lot; actually, way more than a lot, more like… _really _a lot. Looking down at her fingers as if seeing them for the first time, she missed it when one silver eyebrow quirked upward.

Toshiro thought it odd she was having such a hard time confessing that she loved him. Had she forgotten so quickly that the cat was already out of the bag already? Then she began apologizing while also belittling herself for every character flaw, some real, but most of them were of her own invention, before he finally interrupted.

"Momo, what I still don't understand is why you think that I would want you to do something like this. It was stupid."

Momo's head snapped up and her hand formed into fists. Easy for him to say! But it wasn't stupid then, not to her; and it still wasn't, no matter what he thought!

"I was protecting YOU for a change you! You, you,… you frost-for-brains idiot you!"

Hitsugaya blinked, and blinked some more.

"Come again?"

Fuming now, Momo stamped her foot, and began to enlighten him, "You always protect _me _Shiro-chan, but I was protecting _you _this time. If a friend that you happen to love is in danger, then you help that friend out. For some reason, people have always thought of me as the weak one, but now I don't care what others think of me, what I don't want is for you to always be seeing me as 'poor old Momo' who is always getting into trouble and needs you to run to my rescue and get skewered for your trouble."

Tears were starting to form and she blinked them away furiously. Now was not the time to cry!

Momo saw the look forming on Toshiro's face and knew what he was going to say and how he was going to say it. Pointing a finger at him she snapped out, "Don't you dare scold me for wanting to protect you for a change! I know you think I am weak and pathetic! And maybe you don't think _you _need to be looked after! Well I'm here to tell you that even you, the formidable captain of the Tenth, the youngest shinigami ever to be made captain and achieve a bankai, and boy genius who flew through the ranks, need help sometimes! And yes, I have been happy for you all along the way and rejoiced with you in your successes. But how do you think that makes me feel when you treat me like I can't even tie my own sandals without you watching over me?"

"Then I hear talk that you are going to go to the human world to help Ichigo with the hollows and gather information."

She saw him open his mouth but held up a warning finger, "Still my turn!"

Momo waited until he closed his mouth. "But, if you think that you are slipping off because you need to punish yourself for failing to protect me from Aizen, well listen here mister, you got another think coming!"

_Mister?_ Did she just call him, _mister_? Hitsugaya had never seen Hinamori this worked before. He decided it would be wise to let her have her say.

"If you were planning on going to the world of the living to fight this new breed of Hollows, would you even _think _to ask me to come with you?" Her fists were resting on her hips now.

_Hell no,_ Hitsugaya thought as he kept his scowl firmly in place_._

Momo held up a hand, palm facing him, "Oh don't bother denying it! I know what you would say, it would be something like this:" and here she lowered her voice, "_Hell no, Momo_," before continuing her normal voice, "But no, I'm not good enough…"

_No, it's because you are too good._

"… And you think that I'm too weak…."

_Wrong. I'm the weak one! I can't afford to lose you._

"Oh, that old Momo, what a pain she is …"

_The pain of needing you, wanting you, cherishing you, loving you…. I would live with for all eternity, no matter what or how you felt about me!_

"You don't think I could contribute anything…"

_You contribute everything to my world, in fact, you are my world! _

Momo, by this time, was pointing and jabbing a finger at him as she continued ranting, clueless of the thoughts that were churning like a maelstrom in Hitsugaya's mind.

"Well this time, I trained and got stronger, and I went in ahead of you. I wanted to help you, and also, I have to admit, helping you would also help the Soul Society, while at the same time kicking Aizen in the kneecap. I know why you wouldn't tell me you were going to attack Aizen! You didn't want me to volunteer for the team did you? Don't answer that! Because I was weak-willed and fell under his charm and you think I would turn into a mindless blob of Aizen-worshipping fangirl right at his feet! But I wouldn't and that's another thing I wanted to prove to you! I am not blinded by admiration for him anymore and, and…" she was embarrassed to admit this part, but gathering up her courage, she pressed on. Shiro needed to know all of it. "I wanted to prove to you that I can think up plans too!"

Momo could feel heat rising to her cheeks while feeling a little breathless, and actually, now that she was finished, she realized she was feeling a little better about herself.

_The hell? _Toshiro's mouth sagged open but he couldn't think of anything to say. What had she just said? That _he_ was going to attack… Aizen! Since when? Seeing Momo staring at him expectantly and obviously pleased with herself, he managed to say in a surprisingly calm voice, "This is news to me. Wherever did you get that idea?"

She stomped her foot, oh this obtuse man! "Because I was told that you would when you were doing your 'silver-eyes' and supposedly turning into an ice dragon-zanpakutou-creature thingie! Do you realize how scared I was for you? Do you! No of course not! Because I am not allowed to be worried about you! I am not allowed to take care of you! All you think about is yourself, you, you, icicle you! All you want from me is to sit cringing in a corner, wringing my hands and crying out, 'Save me, save me!'" Momo lifted her eyes skyward and clasped her hands to her bosom in the traditional 'damsel in distress' pose.

Returning her gaze back to him, Momo gave him a sad stare and asked, "So what is it that you want from me?"

He interrupted her rant by snatching her wrists and pulling her close until their noses were nearly touching and the breathless panting caused by her rant, lightly brushed against his face. Staring into her warm honey-brown eyes, he softly whispered, "No that's not what I want. Not at all."

And with that he dropped his grip and slid his arms around her. When she looked up at him, those warm eyes went wide and round and her petal-pink mouth parted as she started to speak. Cutting her off before she could utter a word, he dipped in and captured her mouth kissing her hard until she was more than breathless.

When air became a necessity, Hitsugaya lifted his head, letting her breathe. With masculine satisfaction he saw her cheeks flush a rosy pink as her eyes turned a dark honey color. Finally catching her breath, she studied him as her mouth made a perfect small 'oh' of unspoken comprehension as something akin to an electrical current ran through her nerves, leaving her tingling and weak-kneed.

"Wha.."

Again he moved in and claimed her mouth before she could speak and savored the sweet flavor of her lips. A racing heat ran through his veins as the silky texture of her mouth left him wanting more. Every nerve in his body was hypersensitive and oddly vibrating. Wave upon wave of heat rushed through him, leaving him full yet desperately in want all at the same time.

Slowly, he slid a hand down her side, settling on the curved dip of her slender waist, and began massaging in slow, small circles with his fingertips. Then in exquisitely slow movements, he began tracing his way up her side until his sensitive fingers found and played a delicate knead and slide on her ribcage. Usually Momo was extremely ticklish, but this time she made a purring sound deep in her throat.

He stopped there, letting long, thin fingers again dance a seductive rhythm on her side as he wondered if he dared to move closer in to the softness of her breast. He decided to try it, knowing if she objected, the pleasant moment would be over…for now.

With his other hand sliding around to the small of her back following the curve as it blossomed into the delicious roundness of her rear, he let hungry fingers graze upwards along the gentle arc of her spine to reach her shoulders. Every touch excited him further, and, he could tell, not only him, but her as well for he could feel the quickening beat of her heart against his chest. Sliding fingers higher, he came to the glorious smooth column of her neck where the simple touch of his fingertips against her skin shot sparks of desire from his fingers back into every inch of his body. Toshiro never imagined that a mere touch could cause such breathtaking and wonderful havoc in his body. He could only imagine what it would be like to touch her bare skin under the kiss of moonlight. With that thought, as if acting on a mind of its own, his hips pressed into Momo's and pulled her in even tighter.

There. Momo made a small sound in the back of her throat and instinctively opened her mouth allowing him to part plundered lips like flower petals opening under the sun. Losing no time, Toshiro quickly slid his tongue in to play with hers, gliding, dancing and entangling until once again the need for air forced them to part.

Barely taking time to catch his breath, Toshiro lowered his head to the crook of her neck and lightly brushed his mouth against her skin. Gliding along the velvet softness of her skin with the tip of his tongue, he leisurely and nimbly let his tongue skim across the crook of her neck, seeking to be immersed in all of that was Momo.

He felt her gasp and tense and then hold very still, eliciting a smile from him as he continued to trace his tongue across that particular area of responsive skin. Her tremor repeated when he lightly nipped and sucked there. He would remember and come back to this place that caused a hitch in her breathing and her to clutch onto him tighter.

The taste against his tongue was slightly salty, but nothing could cover up the sweet smell of spring grasses and iris that was Momo and it was of that scent that he stopped to inhale deeply of, delighting every sense and causing a tingling rush of warmth to spread through him to center in his groin.

How he had always dreamed of doing this! With a smile forming, he delicately ran the tip of his nose across the soft skin, delighted to have found out just how sensitive she was on the creamy white expanse of her neck. Feeling an involuntary shiver run through her she couldn't disguise, a small smirk crossed his lips and he repeated the same gesture, only slower and in response, she swayed in his arms before releasing the grip she had on his arms. In a slow slide, her palms moved across his chest and shoulders, his muscles ignited a small blaze of pleasure leaving in its wake a burning desire for more. How could a mere touch cause this glorious chaos? Everything in him was alight and yearning for more of this, more of her.

Her slim, delicate hands explored his chest, shoulders, and upper arms, leaving a tingling and delicious ache in her wake. Petite though they were, her hands held power over him, and if it were possible, Toshiro would not have been surprised to find himself melting; but instead, as she, with supple grace slid questing fingers upward, she stroked and caressed until they found themselves on his neck and finally circled around to pin her to him, even melding herself to his hard muscled form.

Now it was his turn to suck in a breath, for Momo began doing to him what he had done to her. He clutched her and knew his hard grip must be painful, but she didn't utter a complaint, only slid against him while sighing, a breath ghosting across his skin and it was his turn to shiver in pleasure.

Taking control again with a grunt, Toshiro kissed and suckled, leaving a chain of kisses while making an unhurried journey up the column of her neck. Impulsively he opened his eyes to watch the silken hairs rise up even as she trembled now, which only caused the inner fires to flare through him even as he felt a deep satisfaction at her response to him.

Finally he came to that certain sweet spot behind her ear, and rested a breath or two before moving to touch and then run the tip of his tongue around the outer rim of the delicate shell of her ear, first tracing up and moving excruciatingly slow in his downward trek. Now her trembling was more pronounced as were the soft noises coming from her mouth, almost in pants. But when she panted his name in a whisper, he heard a low-throated growl and was surprised to realize it came from him.

At another whisper of his name, fiery pleasure erupted deep within him and raced throughout, forcing an unexpected groan out of him. He clutched onto Momo and lowered his face into the cradle of her neck while fighting for control of himself.

Once Hitsugaya managed to regain control, he lifted his nose and buried it in her hair. Just then, in the depths of mind and soul, he heard the triumphant roar of an exultant dragon and held Momo in a vise grip, holding onto her even as he held onto himself. For it seemed there was a danger in being swallowed into that animalistic roar that warned of losing oneself to a place there were no boundaries, limits or rules. With that reverberation sounding through him, there was nothing he wanted to do more right now than to pull her down to the ground with him so they could explore a whole territory that like a foreign, beckoning land of enchantment for the two of them. He wanted her in a way like nothing he had ever wanted in his whole life.

"_**Soon hatchling, soon!" **_were the words reverberating in his skull, but it was so loud that Hitsugaya was certain that Momo, or anyone passing by, could hear it.

"_It's not going to happen now so leave me be!" _Even has he said it, he worried that it might be possible that he was close to leaving all care and thought behind, and leap into this volcanic heat that burned through his veins and racing heart.

He may be inexperienced, but he wasn't stupid. This could definitely go somewhere if they weren't up on a roof, practically out in public …. Oh shit! Public! Where anyone and everyone could see them even if they were up on a roof! It was a miracle they hadn't tripped and fallen off in the midst of exploring this new passionate side of themselves.

With some difficulty he moved his head back so he could look into Momo's face again. Her eyes were closed and there was a healthy pink flush to her cheeks. His hungry gaze dropped to her lips, and with masculine pride and satisfaction, noted they were darkened as if bruised, and puffy.

A soft sigh came from her, his name carried on the slight breath, _"Shiro…."_

Hitsugaya was suddenly caught by it and stared, fixated by her pink and moist lips. The silver-haired captain felt himself being pulled closer and his sight shrank into tunnel vision until all he could see was her face, while also desiring to attack those same succulent lips, calling to him as food called to a starving man. With an ache that was part need and definitely a hunger, again a surging heat raced through his veins, again settling in his groin, and…

Rarely did anyone travel about using the roof so really what did they have to worry about…

"Ahem," interrupted a voice.

From a distance Hitsugaya slowly became aware of another spiritual presence near them. Although his higher brain functions were impaired, there was a part of him that worried over that fact, like a dragon chewing on a bone. There was a very good reason why he should care and be concerned about this, but right at the moment he couldn't think of why that was.

"Excuse me, but, AHEM!"

Higher brain functions reasserted themselves and response was immediate. Hitsugaya let go of Momo moved in front of her before lowering into a defensive crouch, arms slightly outstretched to either side, determined to protect her from….

"Hello!" Isane Kotetsu, the lieutenant of the Fourth gave them a cheery wave and slightly abashed smile.

Hitsugaya noted that Isane's cheeks were stained in a dark blush. Many shades and layers of mortification rushed through him like hot magma finding a crack in the earth. Never in his life had he experienced such embarrassment, but this could be a true first. In response, he felt his own cheeks flare as the heat rushed up his neck to the silver roots on his head. Crap.

For her part, the chestnut-haired vice-captain of the Fifth felt as if she was coming out of a sensuous cloud, but something was quickly sweeping away those clouds. Upon seeing company present, Momo instantly snapped to full awareness and sharp clarity. Along with that rose a furious blush to her face. Oh flaming sweet reiatsu how long had they been watched!

Eyes dropping to the ground, Momo struggled for the appropriate decorum but it was a losing battle. As if weighted by the strained awkwardness she was feeling, Momo could barely lift her eyes from the ground to look at Isane in the face.

Realizing he was still in a combat-ready position, Hitsugaya straightened from the crouch feeling ridiculous. Hiding his embarrassment much better than Momo, he crossed his arms and glared at the vice-captain in front of them.

Isane tried not to smile, (from amusement, the awkwardness of the situation, and also as a nervous reaction), really she did. It was hard and getting more so to keep a professional demeanor in place upon catching these two in a fierce embrace. It didn't take a genius to know that these two needed a private room, and soon.

Everyone knew that there were long-standing bets concerning this particular couple, regarding whether the two would ever get hooked up or not. Isane was also smiling because it looked like she was going to be winning, big time. And just look at the beautiful Renji-red Hinamori's face was turning! Again Isane bit the inside of her cheek to keep the smile off her face. However, business first.

Shifting her eyes from Hinamori, Isane turned her attention to Hitsugaya, not intimidated by his fierce presence or flat stare.

"I am here to pass on a message to Toshiro Hitsugaya, from Unohana taicho."

Hitsugaya nodded, indicating for her to continue.

"Unohana taicho says that you may clean up first if you so desire before coming to the Fourth."

"Right."

Isane hesitated; wondering if that was all he was going to say in response to the message. He merely stared at her. She got the message.

"Nice to have you back Hitsugaya taicho, Hinamori fukutaicho. See you at the Fourth."

With that, she used shunpo and was quickly out of sight.

Hitsugaya sighed and then turned to look at Hinamori. For once, everything he was feeling was evident in his eyes for anyone to see; they were soft with all the affection, devotion and love he had for her. But at the moment she couldn't witness it for her head was still lowered in embarrassment.

Momo was sure it was easily possible to die of embarrassment right there… on the roof. In fact, die, hold a funeral and then just bury her up here, on the roof with a marker saying, 'She Died of Embarrassment'. There was no way she would be able to look anyone in the face after this.

"Momo?" Her name was a soft breath, like the quiet breeze barely rustling the leaves on a hot, summer day.

A broad, tanned hand reached for her more delicate, slender one. He took hers and cupped it in his calloused palm, gently brushing his thumb over her skin.

"Are you okay Momo? I'm…" He paused, his guilt growing even as his alarm over her silence began to rise. _Did she regret this? _He wondered and felt a pang in his heart.

As for himself, Hitsugaya would prefer that no one had caught them in an embrace, but he wasn't going to let anyone shame him for it. It was too precious of a moment and one of the first of many that he wanted to create with her. He wanted this to be the first of a long chain of memories of the giving and receiving of their love in action. But, if she felt differently…. He didn't know what to think, or even feel. With a sinking feeling, he started, "Momo, are you… can you… I'm sorry, I guess… well, I shouldn't have…"

"No!" she said fiercely, finally looking up at him. "Don't you be sorry! I'm not." Then with a shrug and rueful laugh, "I'm just so embarrassed I could combust on the spot, but I am not sorry and I don't want you to be either."

The sparkle was back in her eye and she was laughing at herself as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you."

Hitsugaya then did something that was rare for him; he laughed, he clasped his arms around Momo, lifted and swung her around, laughing in delight, relief, and filled to utter fullness with the love he had for this woman in his arms.

When he set her down, he leaned in and kissed her on the nose. Then, reluctantly, he let go and stepped back. "I need to go get cleaned up and so do you."

The thought of being separated from her for even an instant made his heart squeeze in his chest, even though it was only for a short time. She had to change out of her travel-stained ninja outfit, which, come to think of it, he wanted her out of it right away as it revealed too many curves and delightful looking bumps for other males to gaze upon. That thought alone nearly had him quaking with anger but when he heard her ask, "Shiro-chan, are you okay?" he quickly gathered in the reins to his temper and quirked a grin at her. "Fine, I'm fine, just thinking about something."

The look Momo gave him told him that she didn't, not for a minute, believe him, for she had known him for far too long.

It didn't matter, Hitsugaya decided even as he fumed quietly to himself. He wanted her in a shihakushou as quickly as possible. The mysteries of all that entailed Momo were his to explore and delight in from here on out. Well, with her permission and anticipated cooperation of course. He flushed and felt her eye upon him but he only answered with a smirk at the unspoken question in her eyes.

Each giving the other a final, soft look, they both flash stepped away to their respective quarters, already eager to be reunited again.

* * *

_**1**_ Bleach volume 16 – "about 7.3 miles"

Okay, I am still bouncing for joy about this, and lucky you get to share it with me! Yes, I am that evil! For me, the debate has been settled. After checking the _Bleach Souls Official Character Book_, on page 133, Tite Kubo says that Hitsugaya is "The silver-haired child prodigy." I'm so happy, I knew I had read that right in Japanese! (okay, so small things amuse and delight me! Sue me!)

I was so happy when the manga had Momo turning up again and acted a lot like how I have always perceived Momo to be like. She's not this clingy, whiny, weak, crying-all-the-time basket case as some fanfic-ers make her out to be! Whoot! Way to go Momo!

Again, dear readers, I appreciate the time you took to read through this.

-_Dwellin_


	15. Adjustments

Sorry it has taken me so long to get updated. I rewrote this and added a couple of scenes. And this is a transistional chapter, which are harder for me to write than action scenes.

The "Never Saw That Coming" section is dedicated to Chaos Dragon because she asked so nice. ^_^

My beta for this chapter was Aine of Knockaine, a good friend I am indebted to for helping me with this.

Bleach is not the property of Dwellin. More's the pity! It makes me very sad.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Adjustments**

**Never Saw That Coming**

(right after returning to the Seireitei)

Rukia raised her hand on the door of her brother's office but then took a step back as she felt the weight of Renji's spirit pressure drawing near. It was disturbed and flat. What had Byakuya nii-sama done? Did she really want to go in? No, not when every fiber of her being screamed at her, "Run, fool, run!"

Despite the gut feeling, the adopted daughter of the Kuchiki clan straightened her shoulders and with a defiant tilt of her head ignored old street instincts. Though, that didn't stop her from shifting nervously in place. Sometimes being a member of a noble family meant one was expected to adhere to certain principles that other, "plain folk," were not required to follow.

Rukia took a deep breath even as the thought "You could take the girl from the street, but it was harder to take the street from the girl" ran through her mind making her wince a little.

The door swishing open caused Rukia to jerk from her ruminations to as Renji stepped through the doorway. Without looking behind him, he slid the door closed as if caught in a trance. Rukia stared up at him. When the tiny shinigami noted that he was about to step around without acknowledging her presence, she stepped into his path forcing him to a halt.

Renji's face was pale and his eyes were staring blankly off into the distance.

"Renji?" Rukia asked softly although a slight pucker of a frown started forming between her brows.

His black pinpoint eyes dropped down to her face, but it took a moment before they came into focus and recognized her.

As soon as they did, Renji hissed, "He's heartless!"

Rukia nodded. She knew Byakuya nii-sama was often perceived that way, but now was not the time to disagree and argue that he was a very complicated man. She was sure Renji wouldn't appreciate his captain's "finer points" right at the moment.

"No," restated Renji, eyes narrowing, "that's too generous."

At any other time, Rukia would have expected for Renji to start off on a loud tirade, but this time he didn't. Her eyes fell to where his fists were clenching and unclenching but came back up to focus on his face when he remarked, "I suppose I deserve it though. We did break a butt-load of rules…. But it's not like we haven't done that before!"

"Suppose?" she remarked, "We could have been arrested and sentenced to be executed."

"Good thing they don't hand out executions lightly," he murmured unthinkingly, and then realizing what he had said and to whom, his eyes went round. Frantically waving a hand in front of him, he scrambled to apologize when he saw the twitch of an eyebrow. However, Rukia shook her head and let it go, this wasn't the time or place.

Returning to the matter at hand, her dark sapphire eyes flicked to the door and back again to Renji. "So, what's wrong?"

Immediately Renji's whole demeanor sagged with misery. Even the ends of his red spikes drooped in empathy with his mood. She was almost afraid to hear the answer.

Eventually Renji's black eyes lifted from the floor, met hers as he whispered, "I have to go every day this week to practice with the Eleventh." He then snorted and scornfully added, "And to _fine tune _my bankai."

Then his chin dropped to his chest so that all she could see was the top of his head. She barely heard him when he muttered, "And also help the Fourth clean in the sewers."

A little frown of puzzlement puckered between her brows. The Fourth, okay that was punishment, but what was so wrong with the Eleventh? That had been Renji's company before he was promoted to be the assistant captain of the Sixth.

"So…. the problem is…?" hoping he would enlighten her.

Renji's tattoos pulled together in a frown.

"I have to practice…. with… _her_!" His voice dropped low and his whole body sagged again with the statement.

Rukia winced as understanding washed over her. Ah, Yachiru. Renji was to practice with the Eleventh's vice captain and next to Zaraki, she was the strongest member of the Eleventh, along with being the most unpredictable.

When you went toe-to-toe in battle against Zaraki, you knew just what you were getting because he looked like what he was, one bell short of a full jingle. If one were going just by her appearance, Yachiru looked like a sweet, cute, adorable, little girl. Looks, especially in this case, were deceiving for the cute surface hid an amoral, twisted terror begot of a demon and a fluff of pink cotton candy. Many had been fooled by those smiling dimples and some even lived to regret it. But then, one only had to consider whom she had been raised by.

Renji looked down at his midget friend with a mournful gaze, "She's gonna kill me, I just know it!" With that, let out a soft groan started off in the direction of the Eleventh. Unexpectedly he stopped and turned just enough to look back at Rukia over his shoulder and said wistfully, "I like those red flowers, ya know the ones I'm talking about?"

Rukia nodded, although confused. However, before she could ask, Renji went on to explain, his voice somber now, "Plant those on my grave."

And on that note, he flash stepped away leaving Rukia alone with her thoughts. Poor Renji, she really did feel sorry for….

The door slid open causing her to nearly leap out of her skin and let out a little gasp of surprise as she whipped around.

…._For herself_! Forget Renji, he was gone and now it was her turn!

Staring down at her with hooded dark eyes stood her brother. He spoke first, his voice devoid of any hint of emotion.

"You are late."

Rukia stammered, and cursed her fumbling tongue. Taking a deep breath she bowed low and started again, "My apologies Byakuya nii-sama."

Already caught in the act of woolgathering she might as well admit it, "I was thinking." Then she blushed. How stupid did that sound now that it was hanging in the air between them.

Byakuya's eyes lifted to peer in the direction Renji had sped off in, and then a barely heard exasperated breath escaped his lips. Without any other indication, he turned and moved back to his desk. Once seated, he looked up to see Rukia standing in the door way as still as a statue. With a gesture from one elegant hand, indicated the empty chair in front of his desk.

With a hard swallow Rukia made for the chair so recently vacated by Renji after receiving his punishment. A calmer, more rational voice in her head told her that Byakuya could not discipline her for going to Hueco Mundo to help rescue Hinamori since the Captain of the First had absolved them, however that didn't stop her from taking hesitant steps toward the chair. But, he _could_ punish her as a member of the Kuchiki clan. She mused darkly that Byakuya didn't actually have to punish her, all he had to do was look at her in that oh so lofty look of disappointment, where the flick of a gaze that barely acknowledged her existence, and that alone could crush her self-esteem for days. Dropping into the chair with a sigh, she took a deep breath, kept her gaze on the clenched fists on her lap, and waited for the lecture to start.

Silence descended.

Waiting

Trying not to fidget

More silence

Waiting

Still more silence and none of it was golden.

Rukia fought the urge to lift her head until she was spoken to but it was getting harder with each passing second. Her nails dug into her thighs through her hakama. If he didn't say something soon she was going to lose it and scream and that….

"I admit to being curious."

Lifting large eyes, Rukia peeked from under her brows and found him studying her without a trace of said curiosity registering on his inscrutable face. Finding that not a hint of what he was feeling was evident in either in his face or eyes, Rukia let her eyes drop to her lap again.

"Truly. You are much more headstrong than Hisana."

All traces of decorum vanished at once as Rukia's head jerked up, mouth open in surprise. Byakuya never talked about Hisana! It was a taboo subject. Everyone knew that. No one brought the subject of his dead wife up in a conversation, not if they didn't want to be lacerated with millions of sakura petals!

The Sixth's captain turned in his chair to stare out at the window. "I suppose it cannot be helped, considering where you spent your formative years."

There was a creak of leather that indicated a shift in posture. She didn't need to look up to know that he was staring at her again. "I know you think I called you here to reprimand you for your ill-considered adventure, lack of good judgment, and deliberate disregard of the law which was put in place for very good reasons."

Yes, that was exactly what she thought. Rukia nervously brushed at the strand of hair that hung into her face. Like always, it refused to be tamed and stubbornly fell back into place between her eyes.

All the while, Byakuya watched her through those obsidian eyes that seemed to pierce through her very thoughts. It was unnerving.

The pause continued, and was stretching out long enough to the point that Rukia unconsciously wiggled in her seat. Unfortunately her chair squeaked, and in the tomb silent room it sounded embarrassing like a certain body function that would have had Renji laughing uproariously. Her cheeks were burning but she dared not speak. Any explanations right then that would only make the situation even worse.

In the deepening quiet where she could only hear the faint rustling of his clothes when he leaned forward to place his forearms on the desk, Rukia was sure her pounding heart had to be as loud to him as it was to her. She lowered her eyes back to her lap.

As if sensing her discomfort and refusal to speak, the Sixth's captain went on, "Be assured, we will have occasion to speak of it later, but there is a far more pressing matter that has come to my attention."

He waited a beat. Surely he didn't think she was going to speak up at this late date? Feeling his eyes on her head, Rukia clenched her fists, fighting the urge to defend, not herself, but her dear friends. However, nothing she would say would matter…. Wait, what had he said? They would talk about this later? She lifted her head to stare at him, puzzled.

"Of course, I would have expected you to come and talk to me first, but apparently you decided that it was unnecessary to keep me apprised of the developing situation."

It wasn't? What wasn't? She was totally baffled now but kept her expression under control.

"There are precedents that must be followed, but not everyone feels the need to do things in the proscribed manner." He lifted a brow. Apparently she was lumped in with the 'everyone.'

"I do not usually feel the need to become involved in such concerns as these, but as I am the head of the Kuchiki family I have no choice in the matter."

God, the suspense was killing her! Just say it! Lecture her, punish her or even boot her out of the family (as long as they left her with her Chappy collection) and she could be gone in an hour's time; but this protracted torture was unnerving! Say it! What did she do _this _time! Darkly her thoughts went to her usual tormenters. _Bet the elders found out something else about me they don't like!_

Byakuya's voice broke in on her thoughts, "I agreed with the elders…"

_I knew it! Stupid elders! I knew they had something to do with this!_ She would have been pleased to be right except for the fact she was so tightly wound she was ready to spin out of her chair. Rukia had never resented Byakuya nii-sama for the fact that she had a difficult, if not impossible time, living up to his expectations and standards, but the elders were another matter! Try as hard as she might she couldn't squelch the niggling rebellious thoughts that always came up when they were mentioned.

"… We must make sure that not an ounce of dishonor besmirches the family name. So it has come to the point where I feel I must intervene. I have been lenient with you up to this point, but now I would know the truth."

Her dark eyes looked up at him. This was going to be bad, really bad. Rukia steeled herself even as she waited for the other shoe to drop. If he was willing to forgo lecturing her about running off without orders, oh God what could she had done wrong that made that pale in comparison? It was all she could do not to hunker down in her chair like an unruly child being disciplined.

Longingly she thought of Renji and his light sentence and seethed inwardly. Lucky bastard! Rukia wondered if it was too late to request the same penance. Maybe they could bury her next to Renji. Red flowers would be nice.

"I must ask you…"

This was it! She tensed, with every nerve sharp and alert. Here it was, the nub, the center, and the very crux of why he wanted to talk with her.

"When are you going to bring this Kurosaki boy home for us to meet?"

It was only because she was frozen stiff with shock that Rukia didn't fall off the chair.

**Here There Be Dragons - Never Poke…. Ever**

(Early Evening)

Captain Unohana wasn't easily surprised; after all, she had been around a very long time and was one of the first captains elected to that rank. Nor, in her very long experience with strange medical maladies, was she often surprised by any odd reiatsu phenomena.

Today's session with Captain Hitsugaya had been expected to go according to projected estimations, despite the fact that even as they were hooking him up to the various machines Hitsugaya had been his usual truculent self in firmly insisting that he was just fine and that Hyourinmaru and he were in right alignment again. Normally the healer would have taken Hitsugaya at his word, but more importantly, gone by her own instincts and experience. Everything she was sensing felt like it was in harmony as he claimed.

Walking into the room where the silver-haired captain was standing, arms lifted out from his sides so the technicians could attach wires and small spiritual pressure receptors to various parts of his torso, he looked up with those jewel-like eyes and once again stated his opinion about the undertaking. However, the problem was that she had orders from the Captain General to have the captain of the Tenth thoroughly checked out.

Sighing, Unohana placed her clipboard down and walked over to examine the Jyuuban taicho one last time. Everything was going well. Technicians were signaling that their instruments were ready to go, kido nurses also indicated that their preparations for the shielding was in place, and Seventh Seat Yamada also nodded from his stool by the Fourth's medical monitors. Retsu sighed as she looked back at Hitsugaya and his grumpy scowl distancing himself from them and this whole incident. She really hadn't expected anything else from him.

It was just after the medicine was administered that would thin the veil between Hitsugaya and Hyourinmaru that Captain Kurotsuchi walked in.

Captain Hitsugaya's expression went cold, and that was when an icy blast of reiatsu exploded along with an enraged roar. People were thrown back against the wall or fell to the floor under the unbearable weight of Hitsugaya's reiatsu, except Captain Unohana.

Standing calmly as if Hitsugaya had only sneezed, Unohana gestured for her team to halt the procedure even as the room rapidly turned into a glacial tomb. She was very thankful that not only were the reiatsu-resistant blast doors in place, but the room was enveloped in several layers of reiatsu-dampening barriers.

The walls and floor were coated with a thin layer of frost and she glanced up at the icicles on the ceiling wondering if they should move to another room or continue where they were. Melting ice wasn't a worry for Hitsugaya could make it vanish with a mere thought and she wasn't worried about the delicate equipment being ruined; it was delicate but specifically designed by her even if it was built in the labs of the Twelfth. It was as Unohana was pondering these thoughts when someone gasped making her look over to see what caused it.

"Damn," Retsu breathed out under her breath so none of the personnel could hear her.

Blown back to the corner and frozen over was Kurotsuchi in a column of ice. She, along with other nurses and technicians hurried to the column, or rather, slipped their way over to him. Whipping out Minazuki she sustained and healed the life force trapped within the block of ice. Unohana wasn't too worried; this wasn't enough to kill Mayuri, he had survived far worse than this in the past.

She heard a voice from the bed behind her say, "I warned him earlier not to come near me."

All the Fourth's healer could think was that it was a very good thing indeed that the Twelfth's captain had not actually tried to touch Hyourinmaru's Shinigami, although being encased in a block of ice certainly couldn't be the highlight of Kurotsuchi's day.

In her expert opinion; and she would sign whatever paper the Captain General wanted her to sign, there wasn't anything wrong with Captain Hitsugaya's state of mind, reiatsu, or zanpakutou. Hitsugaya was definitely in his right mind and she was quite sure of that because there was no way in this lifetime or the next, she would ever let Captain Kurotsuchi lay a finger on her either. Damn orders.

The whole room waited until Kurotsuchi was taken away on a stretcher and then let out a collective sigh when he was gone. He was not an easy person to work with and she didn't want him there in the first place, but the clown-faced captain was the one who had insisted on being present. Unohana waited for the door to close, and for the kido experts to let her know when the barriers were back in place.

"Okay team; let's try this one more time."

**Before the Poking the Bear, or (in this case) the Dragon**

(Previously in the afternoon)

Hitsugaya and Hinamori came through the front doors and arrived at the admitting desk of the Fourth Division only to halt and watch in some perplexity at the flurry of activity going on around them. Members of the Fourth Company scurried past as if oblivious to their presence. Momo and Toshiro exchanged questioning glances before turning to the one stationary person in the room: the admitting receptionist sitting behind the desk. Her desk nameplate informed them of her name and she wore a regular soul reaper shihakushou that had a nametag pinned to it. She reminded Momo of Nanao as her dark hair was pulled up in the same style and wore tortoiseshell-reading glasses perched at the end of her nose. Other than that she was shorter and plumper than Nanao.

Even though she had changed, and managed a hurried removal of the worst of the grime and dirt with a washcloth and a change of clothes, Momo self-consciously brushed at her shinigami robes. She knew she still must look a fright, and tried to tuck a stubborn lock of hair behind her ear, wishing that Toshiro would speak up since he was the one who was supposed to be checking in, not her.

Still brushing ineffectually at her tangled hair, she leaned over the counter to inquire, "Excuse me miss, but what's going on? Has there been an accident?"

The receptionist kept her half-glasses pointed downward as she scrawled busily on one sheet after another on a clipboard. As she kept filling in blanks with a speed that amazed Momo, she replied, "No, we have a tricky case coming in; a very important person."

She speared a quick look over the top rim of her glasses and then pointed the pen tip to a chair in the corner of the room, "You will just have to wait over there until someone has the time to see you," without waiting to see if there was any reply, she went back to writing, her pen making scratching noises as it flowed across the paper.

Momo turned to look at Toshiro, but with disdainful indifference he lifted one shoulder in a minimal shrug. Right, he didn't want to be here in the first place so he couldn't less if he was admitted or not.

Momo turned back around and was ready to interrupt when she noticed the receptionist was on the last page. She checked one last box and put the clipboard aside before looking up. She started with "I'm sorry, but at this… Oh, it's you still."

Obviously she wasn't expecting to deal with Momo but with someone new in the line that was starting to form behind them. After lifting her nose and giving a sniff that made the nose pinch together, she gave Momo a bright, if patently false smile and asked, "Sorry was I not specific enough? You will have to wait over there for now." She nodded in the direction of the waiting room.

Momo changed her mind; the woman didn't remind her of Nanao at all, and was ready to correct the woman, politely of course when suddenly Toshiro's warm presence appeared next to her and he placed a light hand on her arm. The irritation the fukutaicho of the Fifth felt tapered to mild exasperation, because, quite frankly in spite of everything, she was still a vice captain and should be treated accordingly even if she never insisted upon the dues her rank naturally granted.

"I'm the tricky case," Hitsugaya informed her in a flat voice.

At any other time he too would have been annoyed, but at the moment he was feeling remarkably calm. He had to admit that it was due to the fact that he was occupied with Hinamori and certain questions. What were they now? What came next? Should he have asked her out on a date first? Were they an official couple now? This was complicated stuff. Why wasn't there a handbook for things like this?

As for Momo, she had to admit the change of the woman's expression was amusing when she recognized the silver-haired captain in front of the desk. Her mouth formed a perfect round circle before she quickly recovered her professional manner.

"Well then Hitsugaya taicho, no need for you to fill anything out. Unohana taicho already has everything taken care of. Now, if you will follow me, I will escort you to your attending nurse who will show you the dressing room. The reiatsu-particle technicians are already here getting things set up." She grabbed some more papers off her desk and turned to walk away.

"Oooo, this sounds really serious, I hope it's not too dangerous, who knows what might happen," Momo quietly murmured to herself, not realizing Toshiro heard it until he cleared his voice. As if she hadn't heard (because she refused to look at him), she continued, "But I'm sure it is the very best of cutting edge technology with top of the line equipment and the finest and most skilled technicians available! Because Captain Unohana is in charge, and she's the best!"

He sighed, giving his head a little shake. This was a colossal pain in the butt is what it was, and worse, and an even more appalling waste of time.

As Hitsugaya and Momo started to follow, the receptionist caught sight of Momo accompanying them and stopped to say, "Oh, I'm sorry."

_She doesn't sound very sorry_, Momo noted, guessing what was going to be said next.

Staring at the female shinigami from over her dark rims the receptionist intoned, "You will not be able to come with us, but you may wait for him in the VIP waiting room over to the…"

Stopping her mid-sentence was the fact that the temperature had just dropped dramatically in seconds and on top of that Hitsugaya was skewering her with a hard, icy glare.

Opening her mouth to speak, the receptionist saw her breath steam out and let out a small squeak of alarm. The dropping temperature was surprising enough but when the hoarfrost began forming on the wall and creeping up toward the ceiling, she forgot all about the chilling air. Instead, she backed away while incoherently mumbling something about checking with taicho first.

"You do that," was Hitsugaya's only comment, but it was obvious from the taut line of his shoulders and sharp slant of his silvery brows that it was apparent how he felt about leaving Momo behind. It was not going to happen.

Upon excusing herself, the receptionist scuttled off in to some interior offices, shutting the door behind her. Hitsugaya let out a self-satisfied snort and tucked hands into sleeves to wait.

Once the receptionist was out of sight and sound, Momo turned to him and placed her hands on her hips while frowning at him, "I can't believe you just did that! I know she wasn't the most pleasant person to deal with, but you shouldn't go around intimidating people like that just to get your own way!"

The ice was disappearing and the temperature in the room was returning back to normal. Hitsugaya kept his eyes fixed on Momo's face thinking that her frown was cute, and then got to wondering if he had he ever classified anything as cute before. He was certain he hadn't, this was a first.

Unbeknownst to Momo, Toshiro was keeping his thoughts firmly fixed there when what he really wanted to do was let his gaze wander down and linger on certain delightful aspects of Momo's… uniform. Cold did have an unusual but highly alluring effect on the female body. _Eyes front and center_, Toshiro told himself because he was pretty sure Momo would notice and be less than thrilled with this new fascination on his part; especially when she was in the middle of giving him a lecture that he wasn't listening to in the first place.

At some point in time, he reflected, he would like to recreate the wintery conditions of the room, when they were alone of course. Oh yes, he loved winter and now he found another reason to be enjoying that time of year even more. Hormones, he told himself flatly; it was imperative to stay in control and not let a hint of what he was thinking show on his face.

"Well?" He heard her say, breaking through his thoughts.

Oops. This new phase of his life was playing hell with his so-called genius. He felt his cheeks burning and hoped Hinamori assumed it was because of his 'condition.'

"You know I am not one to take advantage of my rank. But I've decided I am going to start giving it a try only when I believe the situation calls for it." Then he started toward her with a puckish glint in his eyes, saying, "There's something else I have decided…" but before he could say what that was, the same door the receptionist had gone through unexpectedly opened and out came a nurse staring at the chart in her hand.

Blue-teal eyes did a swift scan around the room and noted with satisfaction that all traces of ice were gone. Despite the last lingering bit of frost to the air the newcomer appeared not to notice how cool it was, instead, she continued to study the chart for a second longer before looking up at them.

Unlike the previous receptionist, this one wore a nurse's uniform. Warm brown eyes studied them as she gave them a cheery smile, including Momo, Hitsugaya observed with approval. It was nearly bred into his bones to be protective of Momo. He hoped she didn't expect him to change overnight, not that he planned on stopping anytime soon; he would just have to be sneakier about when he was doing it and how he was going about it.

"Let's see, from what Unohana taicho has noted here, it's fine if Assistant Captain Hinamori accompanies you, Hitsugaya taicho." She tapped a pen, presumably on the captain's note, saying, more to herself than to the two standing in front of her, "It's like she knew ahead of time."

_Knew what?_ Momo wanted to ask but didn't think this was the time, although curiosity was burning in her to know.

Then looking up, the nurse smiled, gesturing down the hall while directing, "Now, if you both will follow me, I will take you to the changing room and where the nurse assigned to you will take over."

Hitsugaya gave a nod and reached out his hand for Momo to take. Marveling that he wanted to hold hands in public and what an unusual change that was for him, she reached out and slipped her hand into his. She liked how her hand cupped so perfectly within his larger, battle-callused one. It made her feel small, delicate, and better yet, feminine. Rarely did Momo have the occasion to feel feminine and she took a moment to savor the sensation. Slowly a small smile moved across her lips, as they started down the hall together, following the nurse.

Initially, in the first hall they were alone, and all that could be heard were the sound of their footsteps. After that, as they followed their guide, they turned down several different corridors and met up with more and more people, hurrying along their way.

Deeper into the building, they frequently passed members of the Fourth hurrying on their way down the halls ignoring the trio. Occasionally Momo looked back over her shoulder at them rushing about their business and wondered if it was because of Toshiro's procedure… now that she thought about, no one had mentioned exactly what it was kind of procedure, operation, or treatment….

Or was she just being paranoid?

Momo found out just how on edge she was when a loud metallic sound clanged behind them and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Her head snapped around to see huge doors had rolled into place cutting them off from the hall behind them.

Not realizing her steps had slowed until she felt a slight tug on her hand, Momo turned to find Toshiro glancing back at her questioningly. But instead she looked over to the nurse who was looking back and asked, "Why did those doors…"

"Don't be stupid," Hitsugaya cut in, "they are taking precautions to make sure that I don't change my mind about undergoing this procedure."

A sudden jerk on his hand and Momo's was free. Surprised, he stopped and turned to look at her. Momo was standing still, her hands fisted at her side, and teeth clenched while she wrestled with her temper. Also her reiatsu was rising, not a good sign.

"What is it?"

With a thunderous frown, she very succinctly and emphatically stated, "Don't ever tell me 'don't be stupid' again! Asking a question that I don't know the answer to is _not _a sign of stupidity!"

The already raised brow shot up Hitsugaya's forehead before settling back into place as he studied the outraged Hinamori in front of him. It was then it occurred to him that maybe he was a little more edgy and stressed than he would like to admit.

The nurse far enough away to hear the voices, but not the words, started back toward them. Hitsugaya took his eyes off Hinamori long enough to frown and shake his head at the nurse. Interpreting the nonverbal correctly, she halted where she was to let the two continue their discussion, more or less in private since the hallways tended to echo.

Hitsugaya turned his large eyes, darkening with the intensity of his mood, back to Momo and studied her for a moment. Then he dropped his head with a sigh and when he lifted it again, the old expression was replaced with a different one. It was such a sudden shift in appearance that it caught her by surprise. Momo tilted her head to the side as she pondered this altered mood. His eyelids were lowered halfway down jewel-like dark aqua orbs as they fixed on her with a deep concentration that unnerved her.

Then slowly he began moving toward her and Momo's eyes went round. This was not the Shiro-chan she was used to. The only time she could ever recall a similar and avid stare was when they were younger and eating watermelons together. It was only then did he truly let down his guard with this intense look reserved for the fruit in front of him, not for Momo.

_Okay, that's not romantic in the least, but it's the truth. And is this just peachy or what? Now I am comparing myself to a watermelon!_

When Toshiro was near enough to see the gleam in her warm brown eyes, he couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. Still, the youth wasn't as close as he wanted to be but his forward momentum was stopped when a firm, but tiny hand planted itself on his chest to prevent him from approaching any closer. He dropped his gaze to the slender hand splayed against his sternum.

"No. Don't," she warned in a low, soft voice that only added to his desire to disregard her command.

Momo was peering at him with concern before saying "I don't know who you think I am Shiro-chan, really I don't. It seems to me that most of the time you treat me as if I am mentally deficient or a wayward child that can't be trusted to make any of her own decisions! Well I am not! I am a grown woman."

She paused, waiting for some sarcastic remark that he would usually threw in about this time. When he didn't, she eyed him suspiciously before going on, "And, I am a lieutenant, the badges of which they do not hand out like they were religious pamphlets on a street corner you know! Therefore, I think I have earned the right to be treated with a modicum of respect, like I do for you…," she slowly ground to a halt on that last sentence. A trial lawyer she would never make. Her eyes darted ceiling-ward and she took the opportunity to blow the bangs out of her eyes. Okay, bad case in point and hoped he didn't notice. "… most of the time."

One snowy white brow shot upwards again as his eyelids drooped to gaze at her impassively.

Her eyes dropped back down and for some reason, seeing his usual cool expression irked Momo more than she realized. Jabbing a finger in his face she said, "I know what you're thinking, that I haven't treated you with respect in the past…." She let the finger fall, "And you're right, I haven't."

She took a breath and continued earnestly, "But I will! I'll show you all the respect you deserve Hitsugaya taicho!"

Momo dearly hoped that if she said it aloud enough times, it would stick. For all her good intentions, she was having problems remembering the respect part. Chewing on her lip as she thought, the lissome lieutenant considered taping a note to her mirror that said, 'respect Hitsugaya taicho' so first thing in the morning and last thing at night it would be a reminder to keep her new resolutions.

How rapidly her face changes, Hitsugaya thought, every nuance of each mood shifts over her face like the shadows of fast-flying clouds over a snowfield. He became aware that she was shaking a finger in his direction, but so taken in by her vivacious spirit, that yet again, he wasn't paying attention to what she was saying.

"But that doesn't mean that I will allow you to treat me badly or insult me! That's not how you treat friends you have grown up with, in fact that is not how you treat people, period, end of sentence. That's all I've got to say." With that, her finger came to rest as her chin went up in righteousness indignation.

What did she say? Damn but she was cute! Her cheeks were darkening a rosy hue and her eyes were sparkling. One part of his brain took in and stored away the harangue, but he was slowly being pulled in and mesmerized by her petal soft lips and the delicate line of her jaw. The thought shot through him like a bolt out of the blue, _it would be so easy to lean over and nibble on those pouting but silky lips! _Without thinking, Hitsugaya started forward to act on it, but they were interrupted by a discreet but not subtle cough coming from down the hall.

Blast! He kept forgetting that they were not alone. Hyourinmaru wasn't in the captain's chair anymore so he couldn't use that excuse. He had never behaved like this before, and he knew that Momo knew it too. She was studying him with eyes narrowed in a shrewd look, but blast again, all he could see was her cute nose wrinkling at him in such a cute way it was irresistibly cute. Oh God there _was _something wrong with him! He couldn't stop using the word "_cute_"! He gave himself a sharp internal shake of warning. Momo would not be happy to know he wasn't taking her seriously right now. Time to act like the captain he was.

Hitsugaya turned to the nurse and nodded curtly. He knew he was blushing, feeling the treacherous heat rising in his cheeks. He only hoped the nurse was too far away to see and Momo too intent on her harangue to notice.

Apologetically the nurse called to them, tapping the watch on her wrist as added emphasis, "I'm sorry, but Captain Unohana will be displeased if we don't get you ready in time. If this was just an ordinary physical it wouldn't be a problem, but we have a special kido team coming in to help and also an elite Research and Development team who are setting up their equipment even as we speak."

Hitsugaya gave her a nod and then turned his attention back to Momo. Tawny light brown eyes, usually so warm and soft, stared coolly back at him, still weighing and assessing him in a way that was uncharacteristic of her. He got the point; she was still upset with him and he was acting strangely.

Silver brows lowered in a frown as he tried to remember what it was that she was so upset about. Too many words; that's the problem he was having with this whole ordeal. Thankfully his photographic memory tucked them away and he could pull them out later to mull over at his convenience.

For the moment, all he could think of to say was, "I'm sorry Momo. You bring up some good points. We can talk about this later." He then reached for her hand, secretly pleased when she didn't resist, and threaded his longer fingers through her slender, daintier ones. Extraordinary but tantalizing warmth spread through him, especially when she gave his hand a gentle squeeze and he knew then that he was forgiven, at least, for right now.

Then, feeling something different about her palm, Hitsugaya turned it over to study it. He knew what Momo's hand looked like, felt like; he was an astute connoisseur of all things Hinamori. There were new calluses on her hand where none had been even a few weeks ago. And that was remarkably odd since Momo was not a hardened fighter like the members of the Eleventh who trained to excess day in and day out. Momo was excellent at what she did, but wasn't obsessive about training daily. In fact, she rarely did, not at all being in a hurry to achieve bankai. And now that he was studying them, he could see that not only were her hands rough but also there were cuts and bruises running up and down her arm to the sleeve's edge. What had she been doing?

Thoughtfully Hitsugaya put this new clue in along with many others that didn't mesh up or make sense right at the moment. Something was out of kilter. A nagging itch at the edge of his brain told him that he was missing something vital but it refused to surface right then. He didn't know what was wrong, but felt that Momo hadn't come totally clean in their conversation on the roof.

He looked up, and found that she was eyeing him, a hesitant light in her eyes. The silver-haired shinigami gave her what he knew she was looking for, a scowl. Only when he drew his brows in a furrow did the uncertain expression clear from her face. He was the Shiro-chan she knew and loved again.

**Preparations**

The trio turned down hall that was populated with industrious people moving at a brisk pace and obviously deeply immersed in their work. Some were carrying wires, poles, curtains, papers, reiatsu sensors with hook ups dangling from the instrument, and sequential trans-responders, along with tri-spiral conductors, not to mention other delicate instruments and odd complicated equipment that was equally unfamiliar to the two shinigami.

This time a loud clang came from behind them and when both Hitsugaya and Hinamori looked over their shoulders at the thick doors settling into place.

"What the hell…," Toshiro murmured, frowning at the closed doors.

"I'm sure it's not what it seems Shiro-chan," Momo declared confidently.

"Like the hell it isn't! '_What it seems'_ and '_what it is'_ can quite easily be the same thing."

"I am sure that what it seems is that they are locking us in, but I am also equally sure that it is definitely not what it is."

"I don't have to like it and I don't."

Catching his glare and obvious rising spiritual pressure, the nurse hastened to reassure them, "We are not locking you in, Hitsugaya taicho. Those are the containment barriers so that there isn't any fluctuating reiatsu leaking into the other parts of the hospital that might be detrimental to our patients and their health. Also the equipment and instruments are very delicate and easily drift from true alignment. So you see how it is."

The captain of the Tenth wasn't about to admit that it was a little unsettling to have such huge, solid doors slam shut behind him. It irked him but with a sigh he reluctantly had to admit to the wisdom in what she said for when he reached for the signature of the many spiritual pressures of the patients they had passed, none of them registered. Although grudgingly, he also had to admit that it was a good precaution to take since it was true that a captain's spiritual pressure could be dangerous, and he certainly didn't want to end up hurting anyone.

Finally, they arrived at an incongruous door that looked like every other door lining the hall. Turning his face to the nurse, he stared at her dispassionately until she caught his eye, then she informed him, "This is only a changing room and not our final stop. Here, you will take off your uniform and put on the hospital robe left for you on the table. If you want your friend to take your clothes and zanpakutou that would be fine, but otherwise just leave them on the counter and Sundries Keeper will put them in a locker that only you, the keeper, and Captain Unohana can open. They will be safe there."

He glanced at it with resignation; he was not looking forward to this at all.

"Go ahead and put everything in the locker."

A hospital gown, could this get any worse? And suddenly he wondered just who was going to be involved in this procedure. It had to be a joint procedure between the Medical Unit and the Research and Development Division.

There was one thing both he and Hyourinmaru were of one mind on, and that was that there was no way in hell Captain Kurotsuchi would come within zanpakutou range of him! No way in any frozen hell worth imagining, here or in the inner world!

* * *

Appreciate you all!

-_Dwellin_


	16. Realigning Expectations

I don't know about other people and their experiences with their betas. I love and admire mine; they have been great friends and editors. Even if no one else likes what I write, they have been enthusiastic from the beginning. Thanks ladies, you're the best! Millythompson and Aine of Knockaine! Dey Rock!

Aine especially since she edited this chapter alone (milly is going to be married this spring so doesn't have as much free time as usual. Congrats milly!)

Author's note: I always assume non-action chapters are boring for the reader, especially since this is labeled a 'romance-action' story. Maybe I should stop trying to put in any romance and stick with action stories. _ I'll let the reader judge.

Bleach - Not mine.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Realigning Expectations**

The nurse swung the open the door and held it in place to usher them in, meanwhile pointing out the neatly folded gown and then the shelf where he could place his shihakushou. He walked over to the table and held up the hospital gown by the shoulders and scowled at it. It was a basically a simple white yukata with the small ties going down in a line on the right side while it was held together by a thin belt.

Watching him and smiling at his expression, Momo said, "Well, you will probably want to change now, so I'll just go to back to the front area and wait for you there."

"No!" He snarled and then looked as startled as she did by the response.

Hitsugaya wouldn't admit it, but he couldn't bear the thought of her being too far away. He knew the name of the thing that was a squirming beast within his chest, clawing at him with sharp talons clawing at his insides: fear.

Even though Momo had confessed her love for him, this dark-winged panic and dread screamed that she would be taken or lost to him if she were to move out of his sight.

Despite their being separated now, it didn't stop his zanpakutou from screaming at him to give into this draconic fear invoking a near-crazed and passionate mating drive. It was demanding that he snatch her up and flee to some safe cave and once there, mark her as his own and no one else's'. He gave his head a little shake and took in a shaky breath while using his own fierce will of ice to bear down hard on this primal fear and lust and silence it. He let a growling snarl of his own utter a challenge back at his zanpakutou. He, Hitsugaya, one of the Thirteen, was in charge again and it would stay that way! Hitsugaya was determined to court Momo Hinamori and he would do it in such a manner that was filled with gentleness and with devoted affection, in the way she deserved.

Hitsugaya didn't realize it but his eyes were closed and he didn't know how long they had been like that until he heard Hinamori's voice speaking and a hand shaking his shoulder.

"Shiro-chan! Are you all right? Should we call get a medic?" He opened his eyes and saw the relief in hers.

"Wow, for a minute there I thought you were having some kind of seizure because you weren't answering. It's like you were off some kind of daze!" Momo was glad that they were going to do this procedure as that little trance or whatever it was had caused her to worry that he was being taken over again. She didn't think it was a wise idea to voice that opinion though.

"No, I was just thinking." The taicho of the Tenth replied, watching the fright slowly fade from her face, but not the concern.

He jerked his thumb at the corner of the room where the folding screen was situated, "I'm going to change. It won't take long." He then eyed her as she stood by the door. "Besides, I don't trust you out of my sight yet."

"What!" She exclaimed as her hands went to her hips. Then seeing his level gaze fixed on her, which often made others cringe she couldn't help but laugh at it, it was pure Shiro-chan. "I am very trustable!" She insisted, "People say that about me all the time!"

"Not with your track record of late," he returned her impish look with a serious, no-nonsense one of his own. "Who knows what fool-headed misadventure you will dream up next."

"Oh, and the fearsome Hitsugaya taicho has been the soul of propriety lately? What was it that you and Hyourinmaru were doing anyway, playing astral tag?" She grinned at him. Although keeping the mood light, Momo had no intention of letting him try to make her feel guilty for something she knew was the right course of action to take. It was too bad if he didn't like it!

**Way of the Heart**

"Listen here Momo," he started, but just then the door opened and with her hand still on the doorknob, Unohana leaned in, giving them a pleased smile.

"Ah Hitsugaya taicho, so good to have you back!" Her eyes were kind and gracious as always and only then did Toshiro realize how tense he was as his shoulders relaxed a bit. The healer's eyes went to the gown in his hand and her brows went up. "I see we are not dressed."

"No _WE _are not," he snapped, "Because _WE _are not getting dressed, _and I _am getting dressed!" With that he stalked over to the corner and disappeared behind the screen set up to give patients their privacy as they changed.

Unohana and Momo watched as different parts of Hitsugaya's shihakushou flipped over the bar at the top of the screen. At the same time both women glanced over at each other. Unohana smiled and Momo lifted the tips of fingers to her lips to keep from bursting out into a laugh.

Coming from behind the screen every few seconds was a noise of impatience and disgruntlement over the situation.

His voice came to them from behind the screen, "If I told you that there is nothing wrong with me now, would you believe me?"

"No," the healer said calmly, not at all bothered by Hitsugaya's complaints and sharp tone. Actually, she would, but orders were orders and this was familiar territory for her. All shinigami, especially the males, were adamant in their protests that nothing was wrong with them and they wanted to be sent back into battle immediately, even as they bled profusely from missing limbs. Right, all they needed was a simple bandage. She shook her head. But, if Toshiro had been complacent she would have been far more suspicious. Retsu Unohana knew each shinigami's nature probably better than they knew themselves.

"Well, I am!" he called out.

"Ah… that remains to be seen, doesn't it, Hitsugaya taicho?"

"I repeat; I am not sick or incapacitated in any way. I am fit for duty and formally ask that you release me."

"And I formally refuse. There, now that we have the formalities out of the way, do you any feel better?"

The sound of grinding teeth could be heard and again each woman shot the other a knowing look.

With a sigh the healer explained, "What you went through was a very serious change. One doesn't just 'get over' it in a few hours."

"Yes, yes I have read the materials and I know what happened before. How many times do I have to say it before you believe me? We are as we were before, in our right places and minds."

"Toshiro," her gentle and soft voice could, paradoxically, break stone in half, "What you do not know is, from what I can tell without doing a full diagnostic, is that your reiatsu and Hyourinmaru's was not merely merged, even if only for a short time; it was also absorbing to create a new kind of entity from the two of you. This is very unusual and also what is different about your particular case."

Now the cutting sharpness of a blade was in her soft voice with all strains of gentleness gone and began reading him the riot act. "I will not let you walk out this door until you have agreed to all the tests that need to be run. (There, that ought to make the First happy.) While it is true that you both are separated now, it doesn't mean that everything is, as it ought to be. That is where my expertise comes in and yours ends. It is obvious that you do not respect my office and that offends me, Hitsugaya taicho. Do we need to settle this on a field of honor first?"

There was a weighty pause and then Hitsugaya walked out from behind the curtain straightening his hospital yukata. Upon seeing the green sash crossing his chest over the stark white of his robe, Momo couldn't help but smile gently at the sight.

His usual scowl was in place and his eyes lowered to their customary half-lidded look. "No, I have a high regard and respect for you and your office Unohana taicho. You are an excellent healer and captain, and I meant no disrespect." He walked up to both women and then with a sigh of resignation said, "Run your tests. "I won't give you any trouble."

_What he means is _'_Any more than usual'_, thought Momo as her face lit with delight; glad and relieved that Toshiro was going to allow them to check him out. She didn't want to admit it to him, but she was still worried and couldn't see how such a merger and parting could _not _have any aftereffects.

In her opinion it was better to be safe than sorry. After all, she was the first one who saw his silver eyes when they were glowing that eerie alien light. The chestnut-haired woman tried not to remember the strangeness of that night. She also tried not to let the concern she was feeling on his behalf show on her face lest he interpret it to mean that she thought he was weak, knowing what a sensitive subject that was for him.

Unohana looked back and forth between Hitsugaya and Hinamori for a second and then said, "Next, Hanataro Yamada will come to take you to the room once it is prepared. But you will have a few minutes before he does. I will leave you for the time being."

Now her warm eyes rested on Momo before saying, "This will be a long procedure." Then a small line formed between her brows as she studied Momo. The younger shinigami shifted apprehensively in front of her, knowing what she was doing.

"Well, Hinamori fukutaicho, you haven't been taking care of yourself nearly as well as I instructed."

Wryly Momo thought to herself, _I wonder what gave it away? The sunburn on my face and arms, dark circles under my eyes, or possibly the tangled thatch supposed to be my hair? _Wisely, she kept those comments to herself.

Unohana taicho's eyes didn't lose any warmth but they were sharper than any eagle's eye.

"Haineko got your tongue Momo?"

This couldn't be good, Unohana taicho just made an attempt at humor! Momo wiped her palms on her hakama, but she also felt the prickling of perspiration starting in her armpits and upper lip. How could she explain her way out of this so she didn't end up in the Fourth's infirmary, again!

"Uhm, well, I've been doing some training and then uhm…"

"Look at her! She's practically dead on her feet!" interrupted Hitsugaya, ignoring Momo's disapproving glare as he kept his focus on Unohana, willing the woman to agree with him.

"Yes, I can see that," and the captain of the Fourth cocked her head while considering what to do with the usual reliable and trustworthy lieutenant. It was obvious the girl was dreading the option of being readmitted, and feeling sympathy for Momo since she wasn't on the verge of death, Unohana came to a decision.

The healer smiled reassuringly and said, "I will apprise Kotetsu fukutaicho of the situation and have her accompany you back to your quarters. How's that sound?"

Momo nodded, relieved beyond belief that she wasn't going to be assigned bed rest, or even worse than that, admit her back in to the hospital.

Unohana raised a finger, "BUT!" She stared hard into the toffee eyes turning dark brown with rising anxiety, "If you do not start resting; and yes, I will know this time, then you will find your uncooperative little bun back in my infirmary and under my direct care!"

"Oh, uh of course Unohana taicho!" Momo began bowing, "No problem with that, yes resting, that's what I will be doing. You can count on it!"

A snort of disbelief came from the silver-haired patient in the room, but other than crossing his arms over his chest, he didn't give any other sign of skepticism.

Turning her eyes back to Unohana, after a frown of disapproval in a certain genius captain's direction, she smiled winsomely and fervently agreed, "Oh yes, I certainly will." Then in an instant she whipped her head and frowned again toward the corner of brooding silence. "Despite what _others _may think!"

Unohana's eyes crinkled up in good humor, "Wonderful, I don't doubt you for a moment Momo. Anything else you would like to know before I leave?"

"No, I can't think of…, wait! Yes there is one thing! How will I get back through the metal doors? Aren't they locked?"

"It's already taken care of," replied Unohana reassuringly, "they will know to let you and Isane through."

With a twinkle in her eye that immediately put the two on alert more than alleviated any uncertainties, the healer said, "You know of course that those doors were set up to keep Toshiro's reiatsu fluctuations from leaking and also to safeguard him as well from others." Her eyes crinkled as she turned to smile first to Hitsugaya and then back at Hinamori, "They were not closed to keep anyone from escaping."

Momo congratulated herself on her control. The perverse side of her wanted to stick her tongue out at Shiro-chan as if they were only children again, but refrained in front of one of the few captains she truly respected and admired. However, it didn't stop her from wondering if the captain had been eavesdropping. Unohana taicho could be scary that way.

Retsu shook her head in resignation. Male, manly, macho soul reapers, or the quiet, indifferent, aloof ones, what a headache they were at times.

**A Little Difference of Opinion**

Once the door closed behind Unohana, Hitsugaya stared at it for a second before moving in close to Momo. He reached for her small, slender hand. Not looking down, he slowly caressed his thumb over the soft velvet of her skin as he stared deeply into beautiful light brown-colored eyes.

"Momo," he choked out and then stopped embarrassed and surprised that his voice turned traitor on him.

Hinamori's head tipped to the side and then righted as she thought, with heart beginning to beat rapidly, that this was going to be a confession, the romantic one she had been waiting for! Here they were, just the two of them, in a room together, _all alone_; could it get any better than this? Well yes it could, dinner for two at a romantic restaurant with candlelight and soft music playing in the background. But she wasn't greedy (or an idiot); she would take what she could get out of the oh-so reserved Hitsugaya!

Momo steadied herself, took a deep breath, and determined not to have an overemotional reaction. The perfect image was there in her head, and she gave him a dimpling smile, with a little tearing of shining eyes, cheeks slightly flushed, and with her whole being hanging on his next words which were….

"When the war comes, and it just happens that I do cross paths with Aizen, you do know that it will be my duty to kill him. I just wanted you to know that up front, Hinamori."

Blink. Blink. _Okay, not what I was expecting_, thought Momo as she internally reeled from the news. She stared at Toshiro and nothing came to mind to say in response. Not at all sure what she was feeling at that precise moment in time, she began scrambling to retain some dignity out of the maelstrom of emotions whirling within her. She would have to sort them out later as Shiro-chan was expecting some kind of answer.

Toshiro watched her eyes go blank as she retreated within herself. He glanced down to where their hands were clasped and clenched his teeth. Her fingers lay unresponsive in his, as if some great shock traveled from her eyes all the way to the very tips of her limbs.

Inadvertently he squeezed her hand too tight and it twitched within his grip. Immediately regretful, Toshiro loosened his hold and again cradled her more diminutive hand gently in his own. He sighed. Obviously she wasn't yet over Aizen as he hoped she was if this was the reaction. He regretted the necessity of telling her but he wasn't going to start their not-yet-off-the-ground relationship by lying. Schooling his features so the distaste didn't show whenever Aizen's name came up, he lifted up aqua eyes to hers to gaze fondly at her. But when Momo started making strangling noises in the back of her throat he nearly panicked.

"Momo?" His eyes searched her face. "Are you alright? I'm sorry; I should have picked a better time to…" he trailed off slowly. What was that odd twitching in her eyelid?

Momo wasn't numb from shock anymore and felt a bubble of laughter starting in her stomach and rising quickly. The absurdity of the moment, the timing of it, what she thought he was going to say compared to what was actually said, and then, that _look _on his face! Really, when she thought about it, it was amusing and comical.

When she started chuckling, she crossed her arms over her stomach, feeling the waves roll up from her very center and outward. What had she been expecting, for him to get down on a knee and proclaim everlasting love? A snort escaped out her nose and the sound of it made her laugh harder.

Happening to catch a glimpse of Toshiro's open mouth and wide staring eyes, she snorted again and that made her laugh even harder. She laughed until her eyes filled with tears. She knew that her nose was turning red and her eyes starting to swell. Oh this was a pretty picture! How dainty! Whatever did he see in her, if anything? She wasn't anything special really. And even that sad thought made her laugh all over again.

What a comedy of errors! Why did she think that anything to do with Toshiro would ever mimic what happened in romance books? Seeing the bewildered astonishment on his face rapidly changing to worry and apprehension, she gasped while wiping away tears of laughter with the back of her free hand.

Hitsugaya was out of his depth and knew it. He had absolutely no clue as to what to do in this particular situation and ended doing the first thing that came to mind. Gently, he raised her hand and began to pat it. Was it her turn to have some kind of seizure?

"You… you've been under a lot of stress lately Momo. When did you eat last?" Now that he was searching for it, besides the already noticeable dark circles, were the signs of strain about her lips and stress lines between her brows. "Or for that matter, when was the last time you slept?"

Momo gasped out between breaths of laughter, "I. Don't. Remember." Eyes screwed up as a fresh wave of laughter burst out of her, she curled down and laughed with abandon now. Not sleeping, now that was funny! Why though all of a sudden everything was drenched in amusement was the least of her concerns. It just felt so good to let everything go in billows and waves of laughter after all the stress and fear of the recent past weeks. Oh, that was it!

Fear, pain, dread, and terror were dissolving and evaporating from her soul. Tension eased up to the point that she felt light and free, as if her feet could float off the floor. The laughter was slowing down to giggles and a chuckle now and then as she gasped to catch her breath.

When the cathartic moment was over, the chestnut-haired girl couldn't help but notice Toshiro's staring at her as if she had grown another head. Unable to help herself, she enthused, "Isn't it great? Life can be a wonderful thing Toshiro!"

"Uh huh." He gazed at her soberly and then said, "I'm calling a nurse. You're obviously in need of some kind of medical attention."

Flapping a hand at his comment, a wide smile lit up her face as she disagreed, "No, it's not that. I just haven't been able to have a good belly laugh lately. And it really felt good. I feel better than if I had taken a tonic or a pill. Really."

Toshiro was confused. He opened his mouth to question her but never got the chance as right then the door swung open and Isane Kotetsu entered.

"Greetings Hitsugaya taicho! It is good to have you back with us again."

His brow knit in a dark scowl as he responded with a grunt. They were all acting like he had been gone for centuries instead of a mere day or so. He nodded at Momo, silver spikes bobbing, and informed her, "Hinamori was gone too."

Isane's eyebrows lifted in surprise and she turned to Momo to ask, "Is that right Momo? Where did you go? Were you assigned to the world of the living? I've been busy setting things up here so haven't heard the latest news."

"She was not!" Hitsugaya snapped out before Hinamori could answer. "She went gadding about in Hueco Mundo on some harebrained scheme."

"I told you already! I was on a mission! " She crossed her arms in front of her with a firm 'harrumph' noise, clearly displeased with him. "Really! And _gadding about_? Is that what you call it? Well I think not! I'll have you know that I trained hard and broke some rules about..." Her eyes opened wide in shock. Crap! She hadn't meant to even hint about that. Hopefully he assumed she was talking about the invisibility kido she had invented.

Toshiro's eyes narrowed.

"Eep!"

No doubt about it, she just unleashed another headache for herself. She knew that when everything was settled concerning his health, he would come looking to interrogate her about her so-called, 'gadding about'. And gadding? Really, who used that word anymore? It just showed that Toshiro was spending way too much time with the older captains.

"Well," exclaimed Isane, sensing the chill in the air and the rising tension between the couple, but wisely decided to ignore it, "I didn't hear anything about it. We have been running ourselves ragged getting everything ready for Hitsugaya taicho's separation and re-stabilization and the whole coherence field thing, well it's quite the delicate operation."

_Operation? _Momo mouthed silently, her body going cold. All of a sudden the enormity of the situation it dawned on her, and she turned worried eyes to Toshiro.

Isane turned to smile at the silver-haired captain ignoring the chill in the air. "But it sounds like we won't be needing to go through the whole procedure if what I heard is true that you and Hyourinmaru are separate again."

The sharp chin of the captain nodded curtly as he crossed his arms over his chest. Isane gave him her full attention until it became obvious that he wasn't going to say anything in response.

"Okay then, Hanataro will be coming shortly to show you where to go as Unohana taicho wants me to make sure that Hinamori gets home and goes right to bed after eating a big dinner." She looked at Momo, "Which is going to be delivered soon so we should get going if we want to eat it before it gets cold."

Realizing that she was going to be leaving, Toshiro stepped closer and ordered, "Don't, and I repeat, don't do anything stupid."

With a mischievous grin she replied, "I'm stronger than you think, Toshiro." Recalling that she had made a vow, she bowed low and said, "And you are precious to me also, Hitsugaya taicho."

With that, Momo gave him a grin and quick wave before scurrying off to follow Isane out the door, savoring the image of the deepening scowl before he grasped the gist of her declaration.

Huge turquoise eyes stared off after her in a distracted manner before corners of thin lips lifted into a smile.

**Fancy Bumping Into You Like This**

Hinamori tried to match the lieutenant of the Fourth's rapid pace down the halls, a smile playing about her lips as she mused upon Shiro-chan's expression. He was so cute when he was all befuddled like that!

The only sound were the soft patters of their footsteps until Isane finally looked and down at the shorter woman, "So," she said, trying to sound casual, but Momo could hear the curiosity in her voice, "It's you and Hitsugaya taicho is it?"

Momo grinned back up at her, for once not feeling embarrassed or the least reluctant to be put on the spot. She still didn't want the whole of the Soul Society knowing about her and Toshiro, but Isane was a friend. Telling her would be acknowledging that what she was feeling was an indisputable fact. Also, at the moment she was feeling rather giddy; of course that could be the lack of sleep, strenuous exercise of late (if fighting arrancar could be classified as exercise!) and not eating catching up with her.

The trip to Hueco Mundo fried all her fear buttons, stressed out every major energy reserve she had left, and the abrupt return hoping to feel safe yet to be threatened with unexpected execution, well, it had taken quite a toll on her nerves. If she were an action hero she would be forced to turn in her badge. It was a little depressing to find out that one wasn't as heroic as one hoped.

Momo also could tell she was close to collapse because her hands were starting to shake and her knees were wobbly. The assistant captain of the Fifth was moving on sheer fumes.

"Penny for your thoughts Momo," Isane's smooth voice broke in.

Momo jerked her head up and apologized, "Sorry, I got lost in my own musings. I won't ignore you again."

Isane waved a hand, "No that's fine. Judging from your expression, you were deep in thought about something." As if her long stride wasn't fast enough, Isane picked up speed while saying, "I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday and I am starved!"

Hinamori was glad they didn't have any problems getting through the metal doors. Captain Unohana was right, they were expected and they were let through as soon as they were sighted coming down the hallways. Soon they walked out into the bright late afternoon sunshine.

Momo raised a hand to shade her eyes, had it only been this morning when she had left on her grand adventure? She shuddered, and was heartily glad that it was over, although it would have been nice to return home with the Hougyoku, that would have been a real kick in Aizen's kneecap. The image of him hobbling around holding on to his knee while wincing in pain made Momo smile. It was a good sign; she was pretty sure she was over him as a captain and as a father figure.

Then suddenly her body felt heavy as lead and all she wanted to do was to crawl into bed and sleep for a thousand years… and a month.

Just then, both females were surprised when a tall figure came hurtling around the corner and plowed into them, knocking them off their feet.

Momo landed hard on her butt, feeling the jarring of her backbone from bottom to the base of her skull causing an instant headache, but all she could do was let out a groan sure there were going to be unsightly bruises in there in the morning.

Isane, however, made up for Momo's lack by letting out an oath that practically singed everyone's ears.

"Aw crap!" Was all Momo heard from the shinigami bowling ball that had knocked them over, but she recognized the voice.

"Sorry about that! Really, _really _sorry! I was in a freaking damn hurry and wasn't paying attention."

Strong hands grabbed her by the upper arms and hoisted her to her feet. "OH, Hinamori! Just the person I was coming to see!" Once she was upright, the hands let go of her. Momo wobbled for a second before regaining her balance.

Momo carefully opened her eyes, squinting against the sharp pain which, thankfully was already easing. Once she was able to focus, she saw Renji leaning over Isane even as his face was turned to look up at Momo.

Renji's face was, excited, and she realized she hadn't seen him this animated since graduating from the Academy. Without watching what he was doing, he wrapped an arm around Isane's shoulders and hauled her up.

Seeing he had Momo's attention, he was instantly by her side excitedly exclaiming, "Hey you won't guess who is going to be awarded the Valor of Commendation Rose! Okay, maybe it won't be that hard to guess, but if you guessed it was _us_, yeah, you got it! We, all of us, even Hitsugaya, are going to receive it as soon as it is officially announced. Although not everyone voted on it, but I bet you can guess who didn't. No kidding, 'bout liable to chew her zanpakutou in two! Bet you already guessed, yep, Soi Fon taicho. _She_ was against it, but wow, _us_! It has been ages since that was given out! This is great, don't you think?"

Momo could only blink at this effusion of words pouring from Renji. She took it back; she had not seen him this excited even at graduation. The only thing that came close was the joy when he received Zabimaru. She smiled to see how happy he was. Finally some recognition coming his way; well, he deserved it. However, because of that same emotion, it was making him somewhat forgetful. Once he stopped to catch his breath, she lifted a finger to point to his side.

"Huh?" Eyebrows and tattoos lifted nearly to the white of is headband as he glanced down to where Momo was pointing. Isane was tucked up under his arm against his side and held there like a sack of potatoes, and was glaring up at him.

With a sheepish grin, he flipped her out from his side and adroitly twisting her around to set her on her feet with a flourish. She stumbled a bit, obviously a little dizzy from the being spun in the air like a top.

"Sorry about that Isane," he rubbed the back of his head as he let out an embarrassed laugh.

It took Isane a few seconds to get her breath back and just when she was going to open up and let him have it, a thought occurred to her. Momo watched the transformation from angry expression change instantly into an impish one with curiosity. This was so unlike the Fourth's fukutaicho.

Isane looked at Renji, taking in how breathless and keyed up he was. He didn't catch the shift in the healer beside him until she reached over and gave him a playful shove on the shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, right, sorry Isane, but…" he finally noticed with a glance, started to turn back to talk to Momo, and then whipped his head back to stare at her.

Momo could almost see gears grinding in his brain as he tried to figure out what was up with the Kotetsu fukutaicho.

With eyelashes fluttering and a dazzling smile that showed off both dimples, Isane lifted the back of her hand to rest it on the crown of her head, striking a classic pinup pose, while cooing, "Why Renji Abarai, I didn't know you cared! How you do have a way with the ladies. No wonder they can't resist you. What shall we name our firstborn?"

"Wha…, wha…, I, I _don't _care! I mean, what I mean is, I don't have a way with anyone! Firstborn!" The tattooed man's voice escalated and nearly cracked on the last word as he stared at Isane with panic rising in his face. Then he glanced at Momo for a clue. She just shrugged. This was Isane's game.

Seeing the reaction, Isane raised a finger and marked a 'one' on an unseen chalkboard in the air. Her smirking grin said it all, 'Don't mess with me Red, you'll regret it!' And that was just a tiny hint of what the lady kept hidden.'

Turning back to Momo, she asked, "Ready?" Not waiting for a reply, Isane turned in the direction of Momo's quarters and headed off.

"Uh, yeah," Momo said while looking back at Renji. The poor guy was struggling between the no-man's land of 'what the hell just happened here?' and being ticked off. Despite whatever strong emotions were waging war within him, Momo was willing to bet that (since he was a guy) the eventual outcome of dealing with them would be hunger.

Taking pity on him, she asked, "Would you like to join us for dinner?"

Isane wasn't so far ahead that she couldn't overhear, but her only reaction was a disgusted snort.

Renji's eyebrow twitched and then his eyes narrowed and he glared at the receding back of the Fourth's fukutaicho. "Love to," he grated out and stalked behind the two female shinigami the whole way to Hinamori's quarters, not speaking a word even when Momo tried to include him in the conversation.

_This is going to be an interesting meal, _thought Momo with a roll of her eyes.

* * *

Sorry if Isane is a little occ here, but I needed her to be and quite frankly, when fine-combing her part (in the manga) there isn't a whole lot to go on for character development. I decided she needed another aspect to her character and this is what fanfic is for. You will see why in a later chapter.

Thanks for reading! I mean that from the bottom of my comment-loving heart!

_-Dwellin_


	17. This Was Unexpected

Many thanks to my betas, Aine of Knockaine and MillyT who took a break from her wedding plans to beta this for me. This would be a much poorer work without their input.

If I owned Bleach I would be busy drawing right now, not posting this.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**This Was Unexpected**

**Bedside Manner**

Hitsugaya was bored. No, rather, Hitsugaya was bored,restless… _and _fed up. He was barely able to resist drumming out a complicated rhythm on the narrow board he was resting on. How long had this examination been going on for anyway? He glanced over at the wall clock and couldn't believe it had only been twenty unendurable, time-altered-to-a-crawl, minutes. How long did they expect him to quietly lie on this hard plank they laughingly called an exam table?

What with all the medical and kido technicians gathered around him, one would think there was enough excitement in the on-going activity to keep his occupied. Yet, stretched out like a living pincushion attached to, who knew _how _many instruments, all he could feel was mind-numbing boredom.

Hitsugaya knew he was the hub and center of all this hustle and bustle, but no one was paying him any attention, and neither were they bothering to inform him of their actions as they moved around the room speaking to each other in low whispers. When any comment _was _directed his way, it was always in the form of a question, such as, 'Could Hitsugaya taicho please refrain from moving his head? Could Hitsugaya taicho please not drum his fingers? Could Hitsugaya taicho please stop twitching his eyebrows? Could Hitsugaya taicho please stop grinding his teeth?' On and on with the unreasonable requests while they wired him up to this gizmo or that whirligig

At least the interview session of the procedure was over, but if they asked him to tell the whole story again from the beginning, he wouldn't be responsible for his actions. However, they never seemed tired of hearing it and scratching down notes on their clipboards. He wondered how easy their job would be if he froze the wires connected to his body. Or how about frozen instrument panels? He felt his mood lightening somewhat.

"Hitsugaya taicho, could you please stop chortling?"

That was it! '**IT' **as in _**'it' **_was the last konso to the forehead that he could take! Hitsugaya was ready to roll off the table and storm out the door trailing wires yanked out from the monitoring machines following in his wake. The nerve! He _NEVER _chortled!

Unohana felt the shift in the air as she walked into the room. Taking one swift look around it was evident that her patient's patience was beyond the 'quickly evaporating' phase and well into the 'nowhere in sight' stage.

Unohana swiftly glided up to him and placed a light hand on his tense shoulder saying, "We are most appreciative that you are handling this so well Toshiro. Many other captains wouldn't have been able to make it this far. You have excellent control. Soon we will be able to measure the levels of reiatsu and also detect if there is any residue or even any avenues left over from the merging and blending of your two beings."

Hitsugaya wouldn't admit it, but he did have a bit of an ego when it came to being able to control his impatience when the other captains were unable to do so. There had been many meetings in the past where his fellow captains couldn't reign in their tempers with fellow captains. Times too numerous to count in the past, Toshiro had held his tongue while words and insults flew over his head, and could admit to being pleased; maybe somewhat smug that he showed more decorum and restraint than the many who were centuries older than him.

Of those who showed poise and self-control, only Kuchiki excelled him in the ability to rise above the quick-tempered outbursts and temperamental reactions that characterized many a captain's meeting. Kuchiki could sculpt his face until there wasn't a hint of emotion of any kind that showed through.

As for himself, Hitsugaya used either world-weary disdain or a deep forbidding scowl to fend off any frivolous chitchat. And then there was Unohana, his equal in being quietly reserved, but hers wasn't anything like Kuchiki's aloof detachment or his own scornful, indifferent bearing. She didn't just project an aura of serenity; she was the proverbial island of calm staring out at those of less restraint, with a bare wisp of a smile playing about her lips and tranquil eyes.

Hitsugaya's eyes met hers before he rolled his gaze to stare at the white ceiling and then let his lids drift shut. He heard her voice as she asked questions of her subordinates and even though she wasn't talking to him, he could feel his muscles relaxing.

Soon, all he could hear were the faint murmur of voices and the hum of the machines around him, but Toshiro didn't bother to open his eyes. Her quiet presence next to his table seemed to block out all the other noise, causing it to fade into the distance.

Hitsugaya sighed, and murmured, "Fine. But hurry up, I have important things to see to."

Toshiro _knew _she was smiling, he could _feel _her smiling and he dared her to make any remarks asking if his 'important things' included Hinamori! Why did people leap to that conclusion? There was a mountain of important documents on his desk; he could feel it even now, calling to him all the way from his office. The fact was he was busy damn it, and there _were _a million things that needed his attention! But now that he was thinking about it, he wondered what Momo was doing right about now and how she was feeling.

"Now Captain of the Tenth, I did warn you that this might take a while. But really, you should not worry about anyone asking Hinamori out on a date while you are unavailable. After all, you both just got back. You have already put the fear of death into many a death god and that is no small feat! You have made your intentions well known, Hinamori is off limits."

He would have sat up straight but her hand on his shoulder reminded him to stay still. How'd she know?

Truth be told, it was not only boredom that made him twitch and drum his fingers as he eagerly awaited to be free of this confining procedure. He could sputter denials from dawn to dusk, but he knew in his heart it was true. He was concerned about any males approaching Momo except for the very young or ones with half a foot in the grave (and even those were suspect!). However, the important thing now was to be as nonchalant as possible.

"You think someone is asking her out on a date?"

Unohana rolled her eyes, not a gesture she generally allowed herself to make, but really, didn't he hear a word she had said? Talk about a one-track mind! Knowing it wouldn't do any good but feeling obligated anyway, "No, I am sure no male has the nerve to approach her."

"The nerve, no, but some are just plain too stupid for their own good."

Privately Unohana agreed with the sentiment but allowed nothing to show on her face. "Hitsugaya-kun, please relax, it will make this go faster," _for you and us_, she thought to herself, "and that means the sooner you will get out of here and the sooner you can check for yourself." For their sake, Retsu hoped there wasn't a male shinigami within two ri* of Hinamori.

In the past, there were those few who managed to get by the unseen yet protective moat Hitsugaya placed around Hinamori. Most were not able to penetrate the added 'barrier' of Momo's infatuation with Aizen, although a few surprisingly managed to do so. Whether those unfortunate ones were aware of it or not, the Juu Ban Taicho was quite serious when it came to her and found it a necessity to advise them of the fact. Of course after hunting them down, he always persuaded them with the sharp, cold tip of Hyourinmaru held under their noses. Many saw his point of view and sent apologies to Hinamori canceling their date. They either broke their dates with Hinamori or ate cold zanpakutou.

Then a more reasonable and sensible part of his mind spoke up asking if it ever occurred to him that she might be bothered by the fact that she was rarely asked out on a date? He winced. It was something he had thought of before and it made his conscience twitch, but again, in his defense, she had never acted like it bothered her. If she had truly seemed brokenhearted about the cancellations, Toshiro knew in his heart, he could not, and would not have stood in the way of her seeking true happiness. But as far as he could tell, and from what gossip he did chance upon (delivered via) Momo never acted or said she was upset when the plans fell through.

It didn't matter now, but he decided that he would come clean and be honest with her. She did deserve to know.

Still, he fretted; wanting to drum his fingers again but with a supreme effort of will, forced himself to forego the urge, one never knew what kind of situation or circumstances Hinamori might find herself in. Of course he was worried! Any sane man would be! Because, because, well, for instance who knew what pervert or rapist or Momo-napper lurked in the shadows just waiting to take advantage of the moment when he was incapacitated, as he was at the moment.

Intellectually, Toshiro knew she wouldn't be classified as a typical beauty in the Soul Society, but she was to him. She would always be the most beautiful of all women, from the inside out. Just thinking about her these days set his heart beating faster and a fire singing through his veins. And she was cute, damn cute, and adorable even, which was the kind of thing that never went unnoticed by other male shinigami.

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed and a clenched fist dug nails into his palm. By all rights, she was his and he wasn't going to let some shifty-eyed hollow-shit come waltzing in and steal his woman!

"Please calm down Toshiro." Retsu's voice flowed into his ear, and was there just a hint of reiatsu in her tone? It didn't matter; his mind was already elsewhere following the path Hinamori would take to her quarters. Didn't she realize how many nooks and crannies between the Fourth and her quarters where danger could be waiting to pounce out at her?

Everything in him wanted to leap from this table, race to her front door to beat the riff-raff off with a very big Hyourinmaru-shaped stick.

It was at that moment the door opened and in waltzed the slimiest, skin-crawling reiatsu in all of Soul Society. Great. His day just got worse.

"Good day to you Captain Unohana," the sibilant tones greeted Soul Society's premier scientist, inventor, and researcher and one would be hard-pressed to find a less stable shinigami.

Hitsugaya had spent all of his brief years as captain avoiding the Twelfth's Captain and doing a fine job of it. It was bad enough he had to be in the same room with him for any length of time, but to be half-naked and in such a vulnerable circumstance such as this, it was more than galling.

"Good afternoon to you to Captain Kurotsuchi. I am glad you could make it."

Hitsugaya couldn't tell from her voice if she was pleased or not. That's what made her more elusive to figure out than Kuchiki.

"Is the subject prepared?"

_Subject?_

"Yes, Hitsugaya taicho is attached to all the necessary monitors." He heard the susurration of her robes as she neared. "I will inform him that I will administer the Mochiageru* kido to raise the barrier so we can run the scans on Hyourinmaru."

"Nonsense! No need to inform the subject, just do it. Better they don't know what's going on."

_What!? _Hitsugaya's hand clenched so hard his knuckles cracked.

"It would be best if you put him out, then we could open him up and observe the inter-working between the two as the scans are being carried out."

_Not if I kill you first! _

"This is my division Kurotsuchi. We are not butchers here to slice and dice for our own sick amusement. This is a house of healing. You will respect that or you will not live to regret it."

Hitsugaya was so stunned that he opened his eyes and turned his head to behold a Unohana he didn't recognize. There was thunder on her brow, an unholy light in her eyes, and bright spots of color on her cheeks. The air around here was charged and heavy with her reiatsu. So this was Unohana's 'one line' that she wouldn't let anyone cross: the well-being of her patients. He was glad she was the one in charge of the infirmary, hospital, and all medical stations, seriously glad.

Breaking into the uncomfortable thoughts he was reflecting on, came a voice from behind one of several panels covered with buttons, glowing dials, and switches, informing the two captains that everything was ready.

Hitsugaya watched as the poles set up at the four corners of his exam table began glowing with the power of the kido masters. They emitted a soft hum that under other circumstances would easily have lulled him into a relaxed state. Not today.

He cast a quick, gimlet eye at the clown-faced captain (who said clowns were a harmless bunch of capering, happy folk trying to make people laugh?) making sure that he was across the room. Then he turned his head back so he was staring at the ceiling. Why did he have a bad feeling about this?

"Don't let him near me. I won't be responsible for what happens if he does."

It was only fair to warn her but he was puzzled. Who said that? It sounded like his voice. Just when he thought about opening his eyes to ask while thinking to check again on the scientist, he heard the sound of the healer speaking to him in a soft, pleasant voice. Now he knew she was using reiatsu as he felt the underlying power under her words even if he couldn't understand what it was she was saying. He tried to frown but found he didn't have the strength, nor was he able to voice any questions as his eyelids drifted closed. A soft hum filled his ears, monotonous and so soothing that he didn't even realize when he fell asleep.

**Dragon Laughter**

Later, to his amazement, he came fully awake and found himself in a bed instead of stretched out on the narrow table he had fallen asleep on. Puzzled, Hitsugaya lifted his head and looked around. There, in a chair next to the head of the bed was Unohana. Her eyes were closed and her head was tipped down as she rested a cheek on a hand propped up on the arm of the chair.

As the silver-haired captain wondered if he should say anything or let her rest, her eyes opened and she smiled at the young captain.

"Ah, Toshiro, I am glad to see you awake."

"I must admit that I am a bit surprised to find myself here." White eyebrows lowered as he glared about as if suspecting some colossal joke was being played on him. "I thought the test was going to take hours, even days to complete."

A smile spread across her lips as she lifted a weary head from her hand, and then the Fourth's captain was gracefully gliding to stand beside his bed. With the amused grin still in place, Unohana said, "It usually does." Then raising one hand over him, she gathered her reiatsu and slowly moved it from head to feet checking his vitals.

He waited until she was done before asking, "Did something go wrong?"

Since she was finished, Hitsugaya pulled himself up into a sitting position and was surprised at how lightheaded he felt. Immediately he grabbed the edges of the bed so he didn't fall out. That would be embarrassing.

However, the worst effect was a rebellious stomach refusing to settle. Gritting his teeth against the queasiness, he waged a silent battle over it and willed it to settle. No way in hell was he going to empty stomach contents in front of another person, especially one as dignified as Unohana.

Seeing his distress, Unohana advised, "Breathe in slowly…. Hold it, and now out slowly," as she lifted her hand over his head and closed her eyes.

Hitsugaya didn't know what she was doing but welcomed the cool wash of reiatsu flowing through him. Instantly the turbulent actions of his stomach began to subside and the dizziness faded. He sighed with relief.

With careful attention, Hitsugaya wiggled back into the pillows until he was in a comfortable position. This time he was surprised at how heavy his limbs felt.

Unohana smiled, "As to your question, no, everything went better than expected." Warm brown eyes crinkled in silent amusement for a moment before she asked, "You don't remember anything do you?"

The healer watched as suspicion raced across his face as he frowned. She could almost hear the thoughts churning in his head.

Hitsugaya wondered about the dream he had about flying over a frozen vale, great leathery wings stroking the cold air to take him higher as he bugled a triumphant roar. Soaring over the snow-covered tundra, he circled the thermals and pulled higher until the sight of the battle was a mere spot so far beneath him… He frowned, what was it that was just on the edge of his mind skittering away each time he reached for it?

Noticing that Unohana was patiently and quietly studying him, he quickly answered, "No, not a thing, why? Did something go wrong?"

She smiled and leaned back in her chair, "No, nothing went wrong. A minor mishap but it didn't have any bearing on the outcome of your tests." In fact, it only served to raise Hyourinmaru up in Retsu's estimation.

Anticipating his next question she continued, "The main reason such a procedure takes hours, even days, is the resultant enmeshment from the initial merging is usually difficult to untangle. That has to be done before dealing with the rebellious zanpakutou and the mental deterioration of the shinigami personality. And the healing of the disintegration of mind, body, and soul is a very delicate procedure and takes months of support, therapy, and encouragement to bring that shinigami back to health." At this point a somber expression filled her eyes as she went on, "Of the few cases we have dealt with, a good many of them never made it back."

Hitsugaya eyed her, not knowing how to respond to that bit of information.

Then, in an instant the solemn look was gone as she smiled broadly, obviously pleased for some unfathomable reason that he couldn't discern.

"In your case, Hitsugaya taicho, it wasn't that at all." Unohana stopped to chuckle softly.

"What is it?" demanded Hitsugaya curtly. He was in no mood for games.

Taking pity on the young captain, the healer informed him, "It seems that your case wasn't what we thought it was, but something new entirely. It was quite the surprise and will be talked and discussed among the technicians and health givers for a very long time to come. You and Hyourinmaru are going to be written up and studied as a unique case." She tilted her head and gave him a soft smile.

Hitsugaya couldn't begin to tell Unohana just how very little that meant to him. He wanted to know what was wrong with his zanpakutou. He cleared his throat and stabbed her with a warning glare but she continued to smile back at him. There wasn't a captain since the first twelve, nor were any since, including Aizen, that could inspire fear in her.

Being a kind person by nature, she took pity on him and answered the question so evident in his eyes but sheer stubbornness and pride kept him from asking what he was dying to know.

"While you were out, and after a certain incident, we were in the process of lowering your reiatsu while at the same time trying to make sure it wasn't harmfully low, and then isolate it from Hyourinmaru's. Instead, surprising everyone including me, was that he revealed himself and had a little chat with us." She allowed a small smile to rise at the dumbfounded look he couldn't control.

"He did what?" Hitsugaya's thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of this. How could Hyourinmaru do that without the zanpakutou being with him? He could still feel the connection between the two of them, but it was apparent the ice-scaled dragon wasn't going to surface and make an appearance for the time being. He became aware that Retsu was talking and he quickly tuned back in to listen.

"Yes, and once hearing his version of things, I can see that this is not the same incident as has happened before, for which I am truly grateful." Then her mien changed to that of a stern aunt, "However, I can't believe that you would do that to your zanpakutou!"

"Do what?! Wait. What did that ice-scaled old worm tell you? "

She sighed, and touched the braid in front of her unconsciously.

"You cannot bring your zanpakutou into such imbalance, Hitsugaya taicho; they can feel it because you are part of them and they are a part of you. You must remember that even though they are living entities, they are not truly multi-layered in personality as is a shinigami. They don't have physical hearts and brains such as we have, so I speak metaphorically when I say that they cannot bear when the soul, heart, and mind are split asunder when it goes on without any sign of relief. Of course, we all go through what is called 'the dark night of the soul' and wrestle with doubts about life and about our place, purpose, especially when making difficult decisions. However, you were camping out there and starting to put up a vacation home. That did not sit well with your zanpakutou."

Jaw unhinged and hanging open, Hitsugaya stared, his thoughts moving as slow as if set in concrete. Finally he articulated the outrage he was feeling, "WHAT! I've done what! The hell you say! I haven't done anything to warrant his interference! Not on this grand of a scale!"

"He was out of sync, you have thrown him off balance…."

Fuming Hitsugaya interrupted, snarling out, "Why didn't he just say so then! That stupid frostbitten dragon! That was his excuse? What a nattering old grandmother he is becoming! And furthermore, you don't need to lecture me on stuff I already know! As if I needed to be reminded! Baka, baka dragon! Just wait Hyourinmaru! And what is this whole sappy thing about 'dark night of soul! You make it sound like I was about to commit suicide! What was he telling you anyway! I can't believe this!" By this point Hitsugaya was ready to clutch fistfuls of hair in frustration.

Usually a zanpakutou had the same personality as the shinigami, but all of a sudden he felt like Hyourinmaru was a stranger. What was going on? Wait until he had a quiet moment with his blade, there was going to be such a meeting of the minds the like of which had never been seen before in Soul Society. He was going to strangle his zanpakutou! If only it had a neck!

A soft, ringing laugh burst from Unohana, further perturbing Hitsugaya's already ruffled feathers. She could see him stiffen and his mouth move into an irate downturn before realizing and schooling his features into a stern mask.

Turning her head to gaze out the window, Unohana paused to give him a moment of privacy to pull himself together. The sun was lowering in the sky and it wouldn't be long before sunset. The sky was particularly exquisite today, she thought, before turning to gaze back at Hitsugaya who had pulled his knees up and crossed arms over his chest as he stared up at her, waiting, barely able to constrain the rising ire and fury.

"Well, no one is exactly sure yet how this was all set into motion. But here is my theory. You went through the Academy so very quickly and you _were _a child at the time. Some concerns just do not appear very important to children no matter how intelligent they are. Even geniuses are subject to the seasons of life that they are in and as much as you hate to admit it, you _were _a child. The only thing that mattered to you at the time was getting stronger and stronger so you could be the perfect protector. Anything that didn't touch on that subject, you relegated to the background, did you not, Toshiro Hitsugaya?"

He opened his mouth, wanting badly to refute what she was saying, but finally ended up snapping it shut instead. That was a perfect analysis of his Academy years, he was brilliant but there were subjects that didn't interest him at the time and he was allowed to skip them. Those things were easily forgotten as having no real import on his ambitions. Lowering his gaze to his bent knees, he nodded.

There was a pause before he asked the question that had been burning in his mind for a while now, "So, there was in no real danger of Hyourinmaru and I being merged to the point of no return?"

Again her soft bell-like laughter filled the room, but he knew she was not making sport of him, or for making the mistake of choosing to ignorantly ignore certain classes in his schooling. He let the sound of her fading chuckle roll over him and then sighed.

"Then why did he say all those things?" He mused more to himself not expecting an answer.

The healer placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and waited until he looked up at her to say, "I think it was all a dragon's jest."

She moved to the door, leaving him sputtering curses and breathing out dire threats of harm to a certain zanpakutou.

**As Dinners Go, I've Had Better**

(During Hitsugaya's treatment)

Momo was having a pleasant dinner; if one didn't measure 'pleasant' as anything but a tense atmosphere with scathing looks shot back and forth between her two companions, then yes, pleasant would be the appropriate word choice in this situation.

Upon arriving at her quarters, they didn't have to wait long before two dinners were delivered to the door, one for Momo and one for Isane. Both women split their dinner with Renji who, through mouthfuls, mumbled that he had eaten already but could use a snack to tide him over.

_Tide him over until what? _Momo studied Renji's broad shoulders and muscular frame as she took a sip of her tea, _he's eating like he hasn't had a meal weeks!_ However, that was a only a fleeting thought before she went back to watching the interplay going on between the other two fukutaicho's sitting with her. For some odd reason they both seemed insistent upon irking the other and it had been going on since before dinner. Momo almost laughed but instead let a smile spread across her lips as she thought to herself, _must be that time of the month; for both of them! _

Peering across the rim of her teacup, she cast a measuring eye first on Isane and then on Renji. As far as she knew, they didn't have cause to bump into each other much, well, except for the vice-captain meetings. _Lucky for us_, thought Momo _that we aren't required to have as many meetings as the captains are forced to attend. I wonder if their meetings are like ours. Probably not, as ours tend to end with certain members getting drunk and I can't see the captains acting like that_. She was interrupted from her musings by the ruckus across the table.

"That was _my _pickled plum, Abarai, and you knew it! You saw me looking at it and that's the only reason you snatched it!"

"_Looking_ doesn't mean ownership, Kotetsu! _Chopstick _touching the _food _means ownership! Otherwise _I _would own all of Soul Society because I can't even begin to count how many times I have _looked _at it!"

Renji was waving his chopsticks around in the air before him, pickled plum stuck on the end. Even though stabbing one's food with the tip of a chopstick was considered rude, Renji didn't really care. He hadn't learned to eat with chopsticks until he entered the Academy. Where he was from, survival was a hard scrabble that was an everyday, all-day endeavor and just scrounging up something to eat was considered a victory. One usually didn't have the time to look around for a pair of ivory, hand-painted chopsticks to fastidiously eat one's dinner. No, gulping something down hungrily while eyes darting around suspiciously to spot anyone who would try to steal one's dinner was par for the course. However, since entering the Academy and learning how to use chopsticks correctly, Renji was always careful to use the etiquette he had learned, and even more so now that he was the adjutant to the captain of the Sixth Company. But not tonight!

"You're just pissed because I hauled you up like the skinny beanpole that you are." He gave the obnoxious healer from the Fourth a feral half-grin and leaned in over the table to wave the pickled plum in front of Isane, causing her eyes to narrow as they followed the purloined fruit in the air before her.

Isane was half tempted to snatch the plum dancing before her eyes and pop it in her mouth. Yet even as she considered it, and as if reading her mind, Renji jerked it away and stuck it in his mouth instead.

Closing his eyes, the red-haired shinigami chewed in delight while Isane glared daggers at him. Then opening his black eyes, he matched her stare for stare while a wicked smirk crept across his face, "And I am looking at you right now, Kotetsu fukutaicho, does that mean I own you?"

Momo sent a startled glance from Renji to Isane to Renji and wondered if he even knew the connotation what he had implied. She watched Isane's face flush so bright that it almost matched the color of Renji's hair as she stared back at him in shock before a stormy frown formed at his gloating expression.

Momo's eyes kept flitting back and forth between the two. Not taking her toffee-colored eyes off of them, she deftly used her chopsticks to snare a slice of meat and bring it to her mouth. Chewing, she absently noted that it was tender and the sauce was perfect. It was delicious; especially considering it was hospital food. But the interaction going on in front of her was better than any shinigami soap opera. Talk about drama!

Unknown to her guests, Momo pondered the ebb and flow of emotions and reiatsu and what she was picking up going on beneath the surface, not believing for one second that it was merely two personalities colliding and scraping against each other.

Gazing off into the distance the chestnut-haired woman came to the decision that she would help nudge things in the right direction if she could; whether they wanted her to or not.

Lips curled up in a secretive smile because Momo the Action Hero was back in the game! Now her eyes were darting slyly back and forth wondering how she could help these two.

Nibbling on the ends of her chopsticks thinking, Hinamori first looked over at Renji from under her dark bangs. He should, of course, have humbly apologized to Isane instead of responding with this, sensual tension-filled riposte. It was so blatant but as she eyed him sharply, she didn't see any change in his expression and wondered if he even understood what he had said.

Then it hit her! Renji was issuing a challenge like he would with any other shinigami male, and with the same reek of testosterone saturating the air! But, and here Momo could only shake her head, it was his way of trying to get close. Of course, he could just ask her out on a date, but the patently obvious way to go about resolving the issue hadn't occurred to him.

Since they were sitting in chairs, Momo gave him a swift kick in the shins under the table, hoping he would get the hint. This could end badly if he kept dishing out the attitude. But Momo didn't have time to communicate anything else for Isane beat her to the punch.

Responding to only one part of what her fellow vice-captain had said, Isane sputtered out, "You just surprised me you big ox! You tucked me under your arm like a parcel and forgot about me! I cannot even begin to tell you how rude you were being! Who taught you manners anyway? Zaraki?"

It was clear to Momo even though the red was slowly fading to a pink in the Fourth's fukutaicho's cheeks, that Isane was flustered by Renji's words. She looked over at Renji. Nope, he still didn't have a clue.

In the Soul Society, Isane was one of the tallest female soul reapers, if not _the _tallest. Renji was one of the tallest males, and he was certainly taller than Isane. Although Momo and Isane weren't best friends, she knew the woman well enough to know that the Fourth's fukutaicho often felt large, awkward, and clumsy next to the other shinigami women. Momo knew that the act of Renji sweeping his fellow fukutaicho up, tucking her under his arm only to forget about her had rattled the healer and Isane didn't know how to deal with the emotional fallout. That also explained the out-of-character response by the healer.

Renji then leaned an elbow on the table and propped his chin on his fist. "I could do it again. Shall we go for a repeat? You're kind of light for a tall, lanky gal."

Now it was Isane's turn to lean in and she growled out, "I'd like to see you try it Red! Just name the time and place and then we'll see who hauls who around!"

"Wait, hold on just a second, this is a dinner amongst friends, not a revenge play at a kabuki theatre!" Momo protested, wondering if Renji and Isane were taking this a thing a little too far. A date yes, a duel no.

Isane looked startled and then abashed. This was not like her! She was more like Momo in nature, eager to please and be of use in any given situation.

"Sorry Momo," she apologized and looked down at her food, using the tip of her chopsticks to stir the contents of her bowl.

Nothing looked appetizing right then. It took a moment before she realized that it was too quiet at the table, but kept her head stubbornly bowed, poking this vegetable or prodding that piece of meat. While refusing to look up even though the silence stretched painfully on, Isane nervously began playing with one end of the beaded strands of hair. Her nerves were close to the snapping stage; if some noise wasn't made soon her polite exterior was going to crack and break.

Apparently someone else was feeling the tension as well. "Well, Renji, what other news have you heard," Momo's soft voice inquired, hoping to distract the two from their glare-fest. At least it seemed to be working for one of them she noted and gave a half-smile.

Isane sighed. Thank God for Momo's insightful nature and considerate heart.

"Well yourself, Momo," Eyebrows and tattoos rose in confusion. "You and I got back at the same time. How much could I have heard?"

He had already shared the big news he had brought, what else was there? Wait, was it another one of those girl-talk things? He shot Momo a wary look. Like a spider in wait, that's what she was, just sitting there eating her food as if she didn't have a care in the world. Momo was trying to draw him into another one of her female discussions and she _knew _he didn't speak the native language! Well not this time!

His lips lifted in his trademark smirk, and mouthed to her, "Not gonna happen!"

_What's gotten into Renji now? _Seeing him give his read spikes a little shake, Momo mouthed, 'What?' back at him.

He frowned harder and shook his head.

Now not only was she confused but also getting irritated. She jabbed her chopsticks at him and mouthed an emphatic 'What!'

He shook his head again until the red spikes of hair danced about his head.

Momo's tightened her grip on her chopsticks. _Unbelievable! Men are so frustrating! _

Seeing Momo's rising ire, Renji decided the best thing to do was to abandon the nonverbal communication. It was getting as confusing as the spoken one.

Casting his gaze upon Isane's light lavender head bent over her food he wondered why she was so intent on her plate. Right then she lifted her light blue-colored eyes caught his gaze and held it. For some unfathomable reason, he was snared by those shining eyes and couldn't look away.

Thinking that the two former fellow-classmates decided to eat instead of converse, Isane had taken that moment to raise her head to see what was going on. Instead of finding Renji and Momo focused on eating she was surprised to discover two sharp, piercing black eyes studying her from under brows so furrowed she couldn't tell where the eyebrows ended and the tattoos began.

"What?" Isane asked with her chopsticks paused half way to her mouth with a peapod dangling from them.

Renji panicked. He couldn't think and his mind was one huge blank. He had to say something or look like a bumbling oaf from the gutters rather than a competent and valuable member of the Gotei Thirteen. Think, think! But since thinking things through wasn't his strong suit, he went with gut instinct instead.

"Obviously you are afraid to cross blades with me, which I quite understand." One corner of his lip lifted in a smirk. "I am quite formidable."

Renji wasn't startled by his claim; he truly believed what he was saying. But from the blank, stunned faces of his two dinner companions, they were made speechless by the effrontery of his claim. Usually he wasn't this boastful except around Kurosaki, that guy just brought it out of him, but rather than apologize to the dumbstruck females, he folded his arms in front of him and gave both women a belligerent look from under hooded eyes.

"Renji!" Momo gasped, when her powers of speech returned.

Isane's stunned look was swiftly replaced with an expressionless one and then carefully, methodically, she placed her chopsticks in the traditional position signaling that she was finished with the meal. Then dabbing her lips with a napkin, Isane laid it down also, before pushing her chair out from the table.

Upon rising, the lavender-haired woman said calmly and politely, "Hinamori it was quite the feast, thank you for allowing me the compliment of your company in the warmth and comfort of your home. It was a pleasure dining with you."

Momo could only nod at the formality; she didn't know what to say that could smooth over this situation. Oh just wait until Isane left and she had Renji alone! She was going to snatch the tattoos right from his skin and it was going to be damned painful! She whipped her head around to glare at him from under a darkening brow.

But then catching movement out of the corner of her eye, she saw Isane stand and her head back around to stare at her guest. With a change of attitude that took Momo's breath away, Isane placed her hands on the table, leaned in with eyes flashing angrily, and snapped out, "Two days from now at the Fourth's training grounds Abarai! At sunrise, we'll have a sealed-blade battle! See if you can manage to haul your red-headed ass out of bed on time or you forfeit!"

With that Isane vanished from the room even though good form dictated that one should wait until reaching the door before using a flash step.

Momo whipped her head back to Renji who was looking stunned, then picked up her napkin and whapped him on the side of the head with it. She was quite put out with him!

"What was that about? Have your tattoos leaked ink into your brain? What's gotten into you?" She demanded and then got a good look at his face.

The frown was gone and in its place was a thunderstruck expression as he stared off into the distance. Concerned now, she dropped her napkin on the table and laid a hand on his arm and shook it a little to get his attention.

"Renji? Are you okay? Renji?"

"I don't know," he replied slowly and then turned to look at her with an almost panicked look on his face, asked, "What just happened here?"

Momo stared at him while her mind replayed the whole dinner again. Then a smile crossed her lips before a chuckle slipped out which had Renji scowling back at her.

"I know, I know!" Momo's light brown eyes sparkled and a warm smile graced her features. "Do you really want to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know," he fairly hissed through clenched teeth. "Come on, whatever it is, tell me. I can take it."

The red pony-tailed man unfolded his arms to place his palms on the table and lean forward, eyes watching Momo suspiciously.

"You were flirting!" She lifted slender fingertips to her mouth trying to stifle the giggle bubbling up and threatening to burst out. "With Isane!"

She couldn't help it, a laugh escaped and began escalating at Renji's horrified expression.

"Oh hell no!"

* * *

*ri = about 4 km

Juu Ban Taicho = Tenth Captain

Mochiageru = lift up, raise up

When I first started this, I couldn't find one story with a Renji-Isane pairing. I'm not sorry, I don't apologize, I think they would be great together. So there, canon-fairies! I defiantly shake this couple in your face!

Thank you... *humble bow* - m(_ _)m

_-Dwellin_


	18. Shape of Things to Come

Congrats to my friend MillyT as she is a married woman now! *Whoot, whoot!*

And I have to thank, once again, my two betas: **Mrs.** MillyT, and Aine of Knockaine, they really do put up with a lot from their naggy writing friend pestering them with… "read this, edit this, read, edit, read" Poor dears; because really, this would be a horrid mess without their sharp eyes, encouraging comments, and editing skills. I am indebted to the both of them.

For Chaos Dragon: you asked to see some Kuchiki, Rukia and Ichigo scenes. Here it is, this chapter and the next. I wrote these scenes with you in mind, m'dear! ^_^

My name is Dwellin, not Tite Kubo, so therefore Bleach belongs to him.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**Shape Of Things To Come**

(While Hitsugaya is getting poked and prodded and Momo is eating with friends, we are taken to:)

**Interlude: Kuchiki Estates**

Ichigo arrived outside of the Kuchiki manor gates breathless and dripping sweat. Just after he had arrived home and showered he received a message to immediately return. Not home for more than twenty minutes at the most too! With a hurried "gotta go!" shouted over his shoulder, Ichigo had raced back to Urahara's shop, wondering the whole way about the cryptic message from Rukia.

Coming to a screeching halt in front of the Kuchiki mansion's gates, Ichigo leaned over, placing hands on his knees as he sucked in great gasps of air trying to catch his breath. When he straightened he found the two guards leveling spears, which in Ichigo's time-line were museum pieces from centuries back. He merely glanced at them. If he wanted in, he would be inside the gates in an instant and no ancient weapon would be able to stop him… Although in all fairness the sword he carried, and used, couldn't be classified as modern in any shape or form.

A small half-smile crossed his lips as golden brown eyes scanned the gate and walls in either direction. Rukia had left specific instructions to meet her here. If it was such an emergency he was wondering why she wasn't also…

"Ichigo!"

He whipped around and found Rukia darting out of the gates toward him. At the sight of the Kuchiki heir's sister, the guards lowered their spears and settled back in to a more nonchalant attitude.

"What's the emergency? Hollows? Arrancar? Aizen? What?"

Ignoring his questions she merely frowned up at him, but it wasn't the normal one she wore whenever he irritated the hell out of her, which come to think of it was fairly often, but no, this one was more, well, there was as word for it. What was it? He had just heard Ishida use the word just the other day and asked him what it meant… Oh right, 'pensive' yes that was it.

Now she was looking off to the side, eyelids lowered so those vibrant amethyst eyes were obscured. Suddenly he was on alert, he didn't like it when she wasn't acting like her normal self and all, weird, like this.

"Stop acting so pensive!" Ichigo muttered down at her.

"What? Do you even know what that means?"

"Of course I do" _Not until recently_, "I use it all the time" _Although not until this moment, but you don't need to know that_, "and you are acting like it!"

"I ought to…" Rukia realized that she was shaking a fist under Ichigo's nose and took a deep breath and stepped back, trying to gain a bit of self-control because she was going to need it; that, and a great deal of peace and calm. She eyed the orange-haired human smirking down at her. Something that was hard to attain and keep around this idiot that was for sure!

"Um, thanks for rushing back here on such short notice."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Who was this?

Rukia grabbed his elbow and tugged while saying through a fake, cheery smile, "No time for chit-chat, we have a crisis."

Ichigo allowed himself to be led away at a trot, which meant her little midget legs must be moving twice as the speed as his in order to keep up. Now he was worried, or more worried than when he first read the message to return.

"Is it Aizen? It's gotta be, right? Has someone been killed or kidnapped? Is it your brother?"

He nearly stumbled over her when her step faltered. Ah, so it had something to do with her uptight brother. Since he was on leave to recuperate from his injuries Ichigo couldn't imagine what it could be, wasn't the man bedridden? Byakuya was certainly in no shape to go into battle.

"No, no, you don't understand!" She started up again, dragging him behind her.

Ichigo could easily imagine Rukia wringing her hands, if she didn't already have a death grip on his elbow and wasn't jerking on it for him to hurry every few steps.

He'd had enough. Planting his feet, Ichigo came to an abrupt halt nearly jerking Rukia off hers and slamming her back into him. He was ready for it though and easily caught her, keeping her from falling back on her butt. He held on for a moment longer than necessary, enjoying the feel of her pressed up against him even if only for that brief space of time.

As soon as she turned to face him, he forgot about any thoughts of holding her, for her face was tight with strain. Seeing that he was studying her, Rukia dropped her gaze and fiddled with the pleats of her hakama, shifting from one foot to the next.

Ichigo's brows rose. This nervous behavior was unusual for the petite raven-haired girl.

"What's going on?"

Rukia's shoulders sagged a bit as she said, "Well, it's like this…"

Uh oh.

"Byakuya ni-sama found out that we are seeing each other."

"What? But we see each other all the time, what's wrong with that?"

"Someone told him that we are _seeing _each other. You know 'seeing' as in dating."

Blood drained from Ichigo's face. Dating? They had never been to a movie, coffee shop, park, zoo, museum or, or anything like that.

"But we haven't been on a date," protested Ichigo with a bit of panic in his voice, "Hasn't anyone told him _that _part of it! Some spy! At least if they are going to tattle they should at least get their info right!"

"He wants to know your intentions!" she blurted out, eyes wide and looking as panicky as he felt.

"Intentions!" Damn, that almost came out with a squeak at the end.

"What? Why?" Ichigo couldn't keep his voice from rising. What the hell was Byakuya thinking? What did he mean by that? Intentions? Him? Fantasies yes, intentions, no.

Now Rukia was wringing her hands and everything in him wanted to join her. He would prefer facing a hollow right now if given the choice.

Finally she looked up, eyes darkening in her apprehension to a sapphire blue.

"You know… _Intentions_." She stressed the word, giving it a weight and ominous undertone.

"What intentions!" Damn, this time it did come out with a squeak.

"I'm fifteen! Almost sixteen! He doesn't want to know my intentions! I can't get married!" He swayed in place and then stammered out, "I'm... It's… There's laws!"

Now Rukia pulled herself together and placed her hands on her hips, a dangerous glint replacing the previous uneasiness.

"It's not like he's going to make us get married today!"

A scream locked midway up his throat. Instinctively he knew that if it came out, he would have more to worry about than just Byakuya. He needed to calm down and think rationally; not his strong suit.

"What did you tell him?" Ichigo finally managed to gasp out past the lodged scream still stuck in his throat as images of him fighting it out with an enraged older brother danced in his head. He could have groaned; especially when that older brother was Byakuya Kuchiki.

He turned a suspicious frown down at the top of Rukia's head as she looked behind her, and then turned back to lean around to look behind him in all directions.

He found himself looking around along with her as her head turned back and forth, eyes searching and shifting to the left and then to the right and back again.

"Nothing," she leaned in and whispered fiercely, "I didn't say a word to anybody about anything!"

Rukia was doing her best to suppress the urge to smack him alongside the head. "Because there's nothing to tell now, is there?"

"Then what," he whispered back, "are we looking around for?"

"You never know."

"Okay then," he leaned in closer, "then why are we whispering?"

Rukia held a finger to her lips in the universal sign of 'be quiet' but she managed to add the sense of 'you fool' to it. His eyebrow quirked up in irritation but she was scanning the area again before she turned to face him and said, "One never knows when one is being watched."

Ichigo stared now exasperated, blowing out a breath of annoyance as he ran finger through his orange spikes. "Let's get this over with."

He then turned and stalked off, all piss and vinegar with every step, marching to the confrontation to get it over with.

Rukia sighed and then smiled softly, taking a moment to admire the strong set of his shoulders and the muscles rippling under his shihakusho. He was human and she was a shinigami. It shouldn't work, everything was against it, but she knew, even if he didn't, at least not yet, that he was the one. There were no guarantees the relationship would or could possibly work, but wasn't that the same with any relationship? She thought so.

"Ichigo!"

He looked over his shoulder and snapped, "What?"

"You're going the wrong way!"

Without saying a word, the deputy soul reaper spun on his heel and marched back to her and without giving her as much as a sideways glance as he passed, snagged her tiny hand in his much larger one.

A secretive smile played about her lips. This was going to be one interesting meeting and she had a feeling that Byakuya didn't know what he was getting into.

**Momo, the True-Love Guru**

Momo let out a delighted chuckle. Even with the strain of the day rapidly catching up with her, she couldn't stop from acting as a matchmaker in this little drama, especially when considering that said drama had played itself out under her nose, at her table, in her house. So she had a right to poke her nose in, no matter what anyone else though.

As if propelled backwards, Renji slammed against the back of the chair while frantically denying, "I was not! I don't know the first thing about that kind of romantic crap, and even if I did know, I wouldn't! That's all glitz and glitter for the nobles and their highbrow ways! Flowers," he gestured wildly in the air, "Candy, all those sappy poems no one understands, walking in the moonlight… Not for this shinigami!"

Momo covered her mouth with her fingers. She was fairly certain Renji's reaction was based more on the insecurity of not knowing how to treat a woman like a woman rather than a fellow shinigami.

"You don't have to be like everyone else." She lowered her fingers and assured him, "You do have a style, so to speak, and obviously it involves challenging a girl to a fight. I must say it's quite original, but not really what a girl is looking for on a first date."

"Date?" Renji choked out.

"Okay, so you are a little rough around the edges, big deal. So is Kurosaki and look at him and Rukia. She's of noble family. So don't worry about it."

He lowered his eyes to see his knuckles turning white as he clutched the edge of the table, refusing to return her look. His world was turned upside down and all in the space of a meal.

Seeing his dilemma, Momo reached out and placed her more slender hand over his darker, rougher one. The muscles in his arm were tight as a steel bar and she looked up to observe one eyebrow twitching spasmodically. To get his attention she cleared her throat and shook his hand a bit.

"Eh?" He raised his eyes, still looking a little shell-shocked around the edges.

Momo decided that Renji needed some encouragement. Poor thing rarely got it, which is probably the reason he acted so egotistical at odd times.

Smiling encouragingly at him, she said, "Renji, I want you to listen closely to what I am going to tell you and take it to heart."

She waited a heartbeat to make sure he was following her, although it was kind of hard to tell because he was staring at her with a dull, slack expression. _I may have to slap him_, Momo thought as she studied his face.

Right when she was thinking it was time for an intervention, Renji seemed to shake himself and the gaze he latched on her was much more attentive and clear than before.

"Good," she smiled at him, while continuing where she had left off, "Because you really need to know what to do after you defeat her; and you will because she's like me and hasn't had much battlefield experience."

Momo was pleased to note that Renji kept his pinpoint black eyes fastened on her as if she was giving him some life-saving advice. (Which she was.)

Tapping her chin with her finger while lost in thought, she then looked back at him and said, "So! This is what you are going to do: After the battle, you will _graciously _extend your hand to her and assist her to her feet; because at some point, one of your blows will lay her out. **Then **you will _graciously _apologize for offending her in the first place! You will _graciously _commend her fighting style while suggesting she only needs to brush up on a wee bit in order to improve, and finally, you will _graciously _offer to spar with her to help her get to that point. What you will _not _do, under _**any**_ circumstances is do that stupid little victory dance while yelling, 'I won, I won, uh huh, oh yeah, I beat your ass, uh huh,' as you have been so wont to do in the past."

Renji started to protest but she held up her hand to forestall him.

"And then, she will scorn all your _gracious_ attempts and maybe even smack your hand away because you have been a complete idiot about all of this…"

He started to sputter at the unfairness of it all but she cut him off with a stern, **"Still talking here!" **

Seeing the silent glower Renji clamped his mouth shut, and let her continue the lecture, "Now, because her pride will be smartin' a wee bit, she may act cool and aloof toward you at first."

Renji opened his mouth to protest that why should she be so bent out of shape when it was a fair fight, and by the by, hadn't _she _been the one to challenge _him_? But he wisely decided to shut it again, because Miss 'Still-Talking-Here' was obviously not finished sharing her wisdom with his sorry-assed self.

"Then, you will, _graciously, _send her a beautiful bouquet of flowers that yours truly will help you pick out, and after that, the next time you see her, you will _humbly _beg her to go out with you."

"You can stop saying '_graciously_' like that, I get what you mean; I'm not a total ape you know!"

They were both silent on the heels of that comment and seeing her start to open her mouth with what was sure to be a flood of even more good advice, he rushed to head her off growling out, "And besides, I don't know if I even _like _her!"

Momo gave him an enigmatic smile. Then a question occurred to him and his frown melted away as he stared at Momo and then asked, drawing out the question, "Soooo, why do _you _think I like her?"

Momo reached for her cup and took a sip before answering, "Trust me."

Renji's teeth clamped down hard to keep from cursing violently. In fact, he was biting down so hard he thought one of the molars might crack. Unclenching his jaw a bit, he calmly, oh so calmly inquired, "Okay then, do you think she likes me?"

She nodded.

"How do you know?" He asked ever so politely, with a tight smile on his face.

Momo stared at him before a hint of frown formed. "Wasn't it obvious?"

Renji finally lost what little restraint he had left and snapped out, "No, damnit! No it wasn't! She was_ yelling_ at me! I don't think ANYONE would have gotten, '_I like you_' out of that!"

"In her defense, you were yelling also,… and bragging," Momo rolled her eyes and shook her head, "which is much worse."

Renji lowered his head to his hands and groaned, "I'm cursed! Why I am hemmed in on all sides by difficult women? 'Fairer sex', my ass!"

Momo was ready to encourage him with another consoling pat on the arm when the weight of exhaustion suddenly hit her making her slump down in her chair as if a heavy weight rested on her shoulders. Abruptly any hungry she had felt faded as a bone-deep weariness hit her and it was all she could do not to sink her head onto the table.

Renji happened to look up then and saw her face pale with exhaustion showing in every line of her features. Quickly he reached out a hand to steady her.

"Momo, I think you need to go straight to bed."

He stood up and pulled her chair back from the table. See, he wasn't a total barbarian; he was picking some things from Kuchiki taicho.

"I think you're right," the words slurred out as Momo planted palms on the table and with more effort than she expected, pushed herself upright. The edges of her vision were getting blurry and she wasn't sure if she would make it to the bedroom without passing out along the way. It was then a huge yawn erupted and she hurriedly covered it with a hand.

"Man you look wasted," Renji said as he bent down a bit to look her in the face. Momo looked like she was going to tip over any second. "I'll take you to bed."

He moved next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders when, abruptly and unexpectedly, there was a roaring that seemed to shake the very walls of her home causing both to jump in surprise. Without warning an enormous amount of reiatsu slammed into the room and in her weakened and worn-out condition it knocked Momo off her feet and away from Renji's supportive arm. She would have dropped to the floor in a painful heap but ready arms caught and swept her up.

Renji himself was down on one knee and panting under the frightening weight of spiritual pressure. His eyes went wide as a thread of panic went through him for this reiatsu was definitely bristling with hostility. He watched as sparkling ice raced up the walls and silver hoarfrost flowed across the wood floor.

"Oh shit." He managed to gasp out. Then he looked up from under his tattooed eyebrows to find a thoroughly enraged silver-spiked haired captain glaring down at him while cradling Hinamori in his arms.

"Toshiro! What are you doing? Put me down." Momo struggled weakly in his arms.

"If anyone takes her to bed it will be me!" And a blast of arctic wind raced through the house leaving bitter cold in its wake.

Momo gasped while her eyes widened in shock. _What?_

Ignoring her, Hitsugaya glared at Renji and snarled out, "She's mine Abarai!"

Livid aqua eyes glittered with menace and Renji would have backed up if he weren't already pinned to the floor by the force of Hitsugaya's overwhelming spiritual pressure pressing down on him.

Conscious that he was as close to death as one could get, Renji knew he would have to do some fast-talking to placate the livid captain before him.

"What? I don't want her! I mean... You can have her!"

But seeing the shocked Momo begin to sputter in indignation he hurried on, "I mean, we're friends! You take her to bed then!"

"RENJI!" Momo all but shrieked, eyes nearly bugging out of her head.

Oh God he was so dead! Gathering what little shreds of dignity he had left, if any, he said, with as much gravity and poise as he could manage, "My apologies Hitsugaya taicho, but Momo was starting to pass out and I was worried about her."

Breath puffed out of his mouth with each word and hung in the frigid air as he fought the urge to shiver. Bravely he kept his eyes on Hitsugaya's face, daring to hold his gaze. When the fierce glare let up and the frost nipping at his chilled skin subsided, it was all Renji could do not to sag to the floor with relief. He wouldn't meet his death by frostbite, at least not today.

"What were you doing here?" Hitsugaya demanded from aquamarine eyes glaring fiercely at the other male.

"We had dinner!" snapped Momo, refusing to be overlooked any longer in this confrontation. "Now put me down!"

Momo was fuming and couldn't remember when she had been more irritated than right at the moment. And really, all the she wanted to do right then was to leave the world behind, crawl between her sheets and slip into blissful slumber. Didn't action heroes deserve that much? So far she wasn't seeing any perks to being one, just the downside!

Hitsugaya looked down at her as she glared back at him and hissed through her teeth, "Put. Me. Down!" She jabbed a stiff finger at the floor for added emphasis. Without saying a word and not looking the least bit repentant, he gently set her on her feet.

With offended dignity, she straightened her uniform and stepped between the two men. Shakily, Renji climbed to his feet.

"If you had come earlier you could have joined us Toshiro. Renji, _Isane _and I were eating dinner together. However, if you would have acted like this I am not sure that I would have let you stay!" She tried to match him glare for glare but couldn't quite manage even though she was the injured party.

"Yeah, dinner with friends, not a dinner between us." Renji flipped a finger back and forth between himself and Momo. "And really, when you came in, I was just trying to take her to bed."

Renji's eyes widened while hissing out a vehement "Oh shit!" for the second time.

The ominous silence that descended threatened imminent peril to his bodily safety and how well he knew it! The hairs on the back of Renji's neck stood up and never had he wanted Zabimaru clutched in his hand as he did right that minute!

Momo stared at her tattooed friend in disbelief with mouth agape and then squeezing her eyes shut she moaned "Oh Renji!" She truly doubted that there was any possible way he could have made this situation any worse.

Eyes shooting back to see how the snow-haired captain was taking this, Renji took in a face that could have been sculpted from deep ice. He swallowed hard.

Frigid winter was descending once again in the room and the red-haired man had no difficulties seeing his every steaming breath rising out of his mouth. He ran a large, rough hand over his face, wishing desperately that he was still in Hueco Mundo battling an arrancar. That was less hazardous to his health than having dinner with Hinamori! Instead, he was teetering terrifyingly close to the chasm of no return and in danger of being given that last push by a jealous captain. He didn't need this aggravation; he already worked for a giant pain-in-the-ass!

Finally recovering, Momo hurriedly stationed herself between Renji and Toshiro. Placing hands on her hips, she turned and stared straight into Hitsugaya's eyes before announcing, "Nothing, but nothing, is going on between the two of us. Renji is my friend. We are _friends_, okay? Friends! Got it? Like you and me, friends."

The air temperature had been warming until she uttered that last assertion and then it dropped drastically again. Momo knew it was a mistake as soon as it left her mouth. But really, their relationship, friendship was still undefined at the present moment despite the fact of her telling him that she was in love with him. There just hadn't been time for the two of them to talk about it yet.

Renji's voice came from behind her, "You know Momo we should consider hiring a lawyer. We really suck at this explaining crap."

Momo ignored him, keeping her gaze fixed on the silver-haired taicho facing her. Hitsugaya was moving forward and his intense spiritual pressure was pushing down on her and Renji like an immense weight. Thankfully he stopped short just when Momo was sure she was going to collapse if he took one step closer. She closed her eyes for a second, feeling the sweat trickling down her back as she drew in several deep breaths.

Almost panting, Momo opened her warm light toffee eyes to find his bright mesmerizing blue-green ones fixed on her. Momo's breath about stopped in her throat. The intensity of his fierce gaze bore down on her to such a degree that without meaning to, she took a step back.

With his hands hanging down at his sides clenched so tightly into fists that his knuckles were turning white, he glared over Hinamori's shoulder at Renji and snarled, "Get out! Now! I won't say it twice."

Renji took him at his word. He flash stepped out the door and was gone before his lingering reiatsu faded from the room.

Only then did Hitsugaya lower his gaze with all of its concentrated power to fasten upon Momo's face, which was rapidly paling under the heavy pressure of his spiritual power. Seeing her face draining to a sickly white, he immediately restrained his reiatsu and was instantly at her side to steady her when she stumbled from its abrupt release.

Hitsugaya hungered to embrace her and started to pull her in when she stopped him. He looked down at the space created by the palms shoving against his chest as she pushed away from him, panting to catch her breath.

Knowing what was coming, he beat her to the punch by going on the offensive. In a cold, flat voice, he asked, "Just friends? That's all we are?"

With a surge of anger, Momo knocked his hands off her arms and took another step back. Her light-brown eyes were aflame with anger.

"How do I know what we are? I'm the one doing all the confessing of late! But really, that's how it started, with us being friends first! And I'll have you know that I wouldn't give that part up for anything! That is the foundation upon which we can build from here on out! But what we are going to be hasn't necessarily been written in stone yet, Hitsugaya taicho!"

"Don't call me that!" he snarled back at her, the restraint on his temper fraying.

"What?" She gaped at him and then with a bewildered frown, she said, "You have been nagging me for years to call you by your captain's title!"

"Well I decided that I don't like it…" His frown faded as a new emotion rose to shine in his eyes, "I don't want _you _to call me that." He took a step closer but stopped when she took a step back with a halting palm held up to him.

"Just give me a second here," Momo pushed back the dark brown locks hanging down in her face and then squeezed her eyes shut as she held a hand to her head thinking. She was more tired than she had ever remembered being in her whole life and right now her brain was so foggy that trying to form a coherent thought was near to impossible, and she was exhausted before any of this happened in the first place! The one piece of wisdom that rose above the layers of weariness suggested that this wasn't the best time to have it out with Toshiro, that it would be better to have this discussion after a good long sleep.

"Shiro-chan," she began wearily, "I do want to talk about this, but can we do it tomorrow?"

Wary, wondering if this was her equivalent of emotionally running away, he asked with suspicion, "Why?"

"Because I don't think I can keep my eyes open another second," and with that she sagged forward already unconscious when his arms caught her.

Hitsugaya clasped her close as she drooped against him. He peered down at the dark head as it slid down his arm only to be caught in the crook of his elbow.

Reaching down, Hitsugaya scooped up the back of her knees and lifted her up in his arms. He gazed down at her pale face, taking note of the tired lines and dark circles under her eyes and felt a pang of remorse. He knew already that she had been dead on her feet and operating on sheer will power before this. Unlike him, she hadn't had a moment to rest.

Tenderly cradling her, what felt to him, light and nearly insubstantial body, he glided smoothly across the floor to her room. Stopping at the door, his eyes traveled over the room surveying it with surprise. Unlike the rest of the rooms in her quarters, it was a mess, which was totally uncharacteristic of Momo. He knew then that something was definitely off in her life or with her if one of her rooms was in this state. Momo was orderly and neat. The room looked like a blizzard had hit it, leaving clothes scattered all over the room in its wake.

Hitsugaya's mouth turned down in a grim line. He would get to the bottom of this and he was sure that somehow, it had to do with her one-man (or one-Momo) foray into Hueco Mundo.

Pushing aside his questions for a later time, he turned and moved toward the bed. Upon reaching it, he gently lowered Momo down although he suspected that brass band marching through the room wouldn't have been loud enough to wake her up. Still, he stealthily and quietly worked off her socks, and unloosened the cloth belt before pulling a light blanket over her petite slumbering form.

For a moment, he took the time to stare down at the lovely curves of her face, and even though he could see the strain of the recent past in it, he also saw the beauty that was not only on the surface but went layers and layers deep, for it originated in her forthright, honest, and open heart and her natural courtesy and kindness that she extended to all around her, even at the expense of her own soul. Something squeezed painfully in his chest. He never wanted any harm to come to her.

Lowering himself down to his knees beside her futon, he lightly swept the bangs back from her face. Then he let his fingers linger on the apple of her cheek, reveling in downy feel of it, before tracing the rough pads of his fingertips to skim in a deliberate leisurely pace over the rest of her face with skin as soft as velvet. Rising again to her cheek, he let the tips of his fingers rest there before cupping his palm over the smooth surface. Studying the long sooty lashes resting against her pale skin and the dark wings of her eyebrows, he carefully and unhurriedly traced their shape with a forefinger, marveling at how silky they felt under his questing finger.

"Momo," he whispered, and in that one breath of her name summed up all the unexpressed, tumultuous, and depth of emotions raging within him threatening to sweep away the barriers he had so elaborately and systematically erected over the years. Now, as he watched the breath move in and out between her pink lips, he was overtaken by a desire to lean down and press his against hers. So he did, and his mouth burned with soft warmth and sweet ecstasy.

Unexpectedly though, on the heels of that came an immediate flash of hunger and fiery excitement raced through his veins and a warm thrill flooded through him, and it was all he could do to keep from gathering her up in his arms. It was almost a physical stab of pain as he slowly lifted his mouth from hers. Some dark thread inside of him gave a frustrated growl at this separation. Ignoring it, he reached up a hand to caress the sleek softness of her hair, and his eyes closed at the needing sensation it stirred in him. Heavily he exhaled and lowered his head until the side of his face was next to hers on the pillow.

"Momo," he groaned softly, her glossy tresses smooth against his skin, which was now hypersensitive at the moment. He bit back another quiet moan even as he clutched her shoulders and buried his face into the side of her neck listening to her even breath and watched the pulse of her heart in her neck.

Realizing that he was teetering on the brink of a place he had never been before but threatening to overwhelm him, he knew he needed to exert control quickly and firmly. Now was not the time to explore this new territory. But without a doubt he would soon, no _they _would soon.

The white head pulled back even further as his bright aqua eyes lingered over her features. Asserting control over heretofore unrecognized and unrealized passions, he pushed up far enough from the pillow to press an affectionate kiss on Momo's temple. Rising to his feet, he gazed down at the object of his heart's desire with a heated expression. Indeed, soon.

With that, he stood up and looked around the room. Seeing a chair in the corner, he retrieved it and placed it near the bed. Toshiro sat down and settled into the chair and then pulled a footstool up for his feet. Crossing arms over his chest, he wiggled a bit to find the spot offering maximum comfort and sighed. He glanced over one last time at Momo and then closed his eyes. No way in hell he was leaving her side until they had a chance to talk and for her to get used to the idea of the way things were going to be from now on.

Just as he was snuggled down in a comfortable position, a tap came at the door. Dark teal eyes flew open and went immediately sought out Momo's form. She was dead to the world and he doubted she would wake up before morning.

The tap came again, and with an irritated sigh, Hitsugaya pulled himself out of his chair and went to answer the door.

The person standing there, a Seireitei messenger enough of a professional not to be surprised to see Captain Hitsugaya of the Tenth Company answering Momo Hinamori-fukutaicho's door. He had seen it all. Instead, the messenger just handed Hitsugaya a note saying, "This is for Hinamori-fukutaicho. Could you see that she gets it?"

"I will," and with that he slid the door shut. Walking away he peered at the outside of the envelope and saw that Hinamori's name was on it as was Kotetsu-fukutaicho's. A slender silver eyebrow rose as he contemplated the note but turning it over he found nothing else on it to hint at what was within. Since it had nothing to do with him he looked around the living room wondering where he should place it so she could find it easily enough. After a bit of thought he decided to place in on the bathroom counter. It was his assumption that would be the first place she would head after waking up.

After propping the envelope against the mirror he returned to the chair and got comfortable again. This time he fell asleep before he even realized his eyes were closed.

* * *

Delighted to have you playing in my sandbox!

-_Dwellin_


	19. When It All Comes Together

**My thanks:** First to my dear friend MillyT for her help to keep this less of a mess than when I sent it to her..

This is the 2nd part of an Ichigo-Byakuya-Rukia scene that I wrote specifically for Chaos Dragon. It turned out to be longer than I had expected (hence cut up into two parts, last chapter and this one), but now I am glad she asked as I had fun writing it.

Dwellin does not own Bleach. She wants to know why.

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**When It All Comes Together**

**Turnabout Is Fair Play**

(Kuchiki Manor)

The corners of Rukia's mouth tugged up in a bare hint of a smile as she studied Ichigo's back as he dragged her along behind him. With her shorter stature, she was unable to catch up with his longer strides unless she ran. Instead, she decided to take this opportunity to observe him from behind. For once she didn't mind him acting all domineering, which was a natural tendency for him. Looking down at her tiny hand engulfed in his larger, veined one covered with nicks and scars, she was thrown flustered by a surge of emotion. It made her feel cared about and protected (not something she usually strived for) and making her feel so many layers of feminine that she had yet to figure them all out. Besides that, a tingling warmth was spreading up and down her arm from the place where skin touched skin. For the moment, she, with a little twinge of guilt for acting so unKuchiki-like, let herself enjoy being hauled along behind the tall orange-haired Neanderthal.

Breaking in on her thoughts, Ichigo said in a tight voice, "So where's he at?"

It took her a moment to gather her thoughts as her mind was the least bit on her brother.

"Oh, uhm. Right. In his office."

Ichigo stopped short and turned to look down at Rukia, "He's got two offices?"

"Well yes," she tilted her head at him, puzzled. "One is his captain's office at the Sixth, and he also has one here at the manor for clan business."

"No wonder he's such a stick in the mud."

"Hey! Byakuya ni-sama is not a stick in the mud! And what's mud got to do with this anyway?"

Her eyes glazed over as she tried to imagine her brother caked in mud. It was unfathomable and since she couldn't ever picture him that way, she gave her head a little shake, and focused back on the reason for them being there and looked up to admonish Ichigo with, "We, and by this I mean mainly _you_, need to get in the right mindset for this meeting!"

Being distracted, his fingers loosened and Rukia unobtrusively slipped her hand from his. She needed some space to recover her equilibrium and touching him was giving rise to all sorts of unsettling thoughts and feelings that she didn't want to acknowledge right then.

Ichigo was too busy bristling to notice she had stepped a few feet away as he gruffly responded, "What did you have in mind? I'm not in the mood to grovel, whine, or go around acting all ass-whipped."

Rukia tapped her chin with a finger as she pretended to consider it. As if Ichigo had ever acted like any of those things!

He bent lower so he was staring her eye to eye as orange eyebrows drew down in a fierce scowl. "I am not gonna grovel!" He then stabbed a finger at her chest, and growled out, "And neither are you!"

Her chuckle had him straightening and considering her with no little surprise. She had been acting odd ever since he had shown up at the gates. Her kaleidoscope moods were changing too fast for him to keep up with, although he doubted he would ever entirely figure the small female out. Not that he wanted to of course. Still, he mused, that was part of what he found so appealing about Rukia, first fiery, unpredictable, in one second, then goofy, enjoying life and friends, or strangely introspective the next. He never could predict what her mood was going to be from one moment to the next.

Rukia walked a few yards away until she was standing in front of a wall. Looking up, he noticed long strands of ivy growing up and over to hang down the wall that stretched up twenty feet or so. By the riotous growth tumbling over the sides, he would hazard a guess that there was a garden on the other side, or an overgrown forest. It was puzzling and didn't seem in keeping with the whole meticulous and appearance-obsessed Kuchiki clan.

He studied the ivy obscuring the much of the stone, wondering if there was some kind of door that he was unaware of because Rukia was chanting to what seemed to him a blank wall. Come to think of it, maybe this was all a part of why she had been acting so strange, maybe she was losing it. Next she would be telling him she was talking to Chappy and why didn't he greet the invisible rabbit. He glanced around hoping no one was around to see her in this state.

When she was finally finished chanting some convoluted gibberish, he was just about to suggest she take a long rest out of the hot sun when a portion of the brick wall slid open. Stone… wall… A stone wall slid… open?

He gawked at a wall where there weren't any seams or hinges to be found.

"Come on," she urged, tugging on his limp hand as he stared.

Once they were through the entryway, it smoothly closed behind them without making a sound. He stared over his shoulder with a frown.

"I didn't know you could do that."

"Oh, they were put in years and years ago, but there are only a few in the clan that know where they are and how to use them."

By the evident pride in her voice, Ichigo could tell that she was pleased to be one of the trusted few.

"And we also bypass all the bossy old aunties, majordomos, noisy uncles, and all the servants who try to be helpful."

He could tell by her tone of voice that she didn't consider any of those to be a good thing.

"Oh, right." When put like that, Ichigo didn't think he would enjoy the life of the rich, famous, powerful, and uptight. Too complicated.

The two followed a small stone path that meandered through an explosion of mutant vegetation, which to Ichigo's way of thinking had been given free rein to run jungle wild. He was expecting organization, planning down to the smallest leaf where everything was laid out in some snootily approved array, instead flowers, trees, shrubbery, and bushes, were haphazardly sticking out over the path and he couldn't see beyond a few feet into the dense greenery. This was obviously the result of some green-thumbed Kuchiki gone insane with the plant fertilizer.

He pushed a branch aside, tried to step around a bush with five-inch thorns, but it still snagged at his hakama and he had to stop and wrestle with it to get free. A few feet later he was slapping at a huge insect that looked vaguely like a wasp, only meaner, with teeth. Then he tripped on a vine he swore wasn't on the path just a minute ago. _Chikusho!_**1**

"What the hell is with the homegrown Lucifer's tropical rain forest here? Can't your brother afford a gardener or did he spend all the family fortune on those fancy hair bobbers?"

Rukia looked back over her shoulder, rolling her eyes at the irritated expression on Ichigo's face as he passed a tree, swatting at one branch and another that seemed to have minds of their own, thrusting dangling bell-shaped flowers the size of his fist into his face. She had walked under the branches. Sometimes it paid to be short.

"Byakuya ni-sama already knows we are here. And really, if we weren't family some of these plants would have turned against us.

"What would they do, pollinate us?

"No, but that's close. Some shoot out poison-tipped thorns, seeds, or stingers, that sort of thing. Others grab and choke the intruder."

"Bloody hell!"

Ichigo breathed out as he glared about at the foliage that he was seeing with new eyes and lifted his hand to Zangetsu's hilt. No way was he going to be taken out by roses, gardenias, and trumpet vines! Kuchiki's were a weird bunch of people for all their so-called nobility!

Just then Rukia stopped so suddenly that Ichigo, who was still glaring at the scenery around him, nearly plowed over her slighter and smaller frame. Instead of lashing out at him like he expected her to, she merely grunted and then said, "We're here."

For a brief second, Ichigo felt the battle adrenaline flowing before remembering that this was just a friendly sit down chat with an overprotective, standoffish, patronizing… Maybe he had better loosen the wrappings around Zangetsu, just in case.

With a sense of foreboding, Ichigo watched Rukia step up onto the wooden deck that ran the length of the house before leaving behind the riotous flora that was laughingly (in his opinion) called the garden. He followed her as she tapped gently on the door and then slid it open.

Upon stepping out of the bright light of day as they entered into the darker room, Ichigo stopped in his tracks just inside the doorframe, taking a moment to let his eyes adjust. Soon he could make out Byakuya sitting behind a desk observing them with an emotionless expression. Orange eyebrows scowled as he stared back into black, narrow eyes.

As for Byakuya, he knew they were coming the moment the ryoka boy had set foot outside the manor's gates. In fact, he was aware of it the moment the orange-haired idiot had stepped out of the senkai-mon. Ever since then Byakuya had occupied himself with the pretense of going through the family's latest banking statements but in reality, his financial secretary had already finished checking the balances for the month. All that was needed was his signature.

Although he was loath to admit it, Byakuya was a little unsettled. Not that the Kurosaki boy in any way, shape, or form had an effect on him, but the fact that the little sister under his protection was interested in a relationship with the buffoon… a human buffoon no less, was galling, to say the least.

He knew what he was going to say, had known all along, until a visit from Yoruichi convinced him otherwise. Sometimes he hated that woman. Most were unaware of their childhood rivalry, but it had changed over the years, especially of late now she and Urahara were working with the Soul Society (not _for _it, there was a difference) and back in the good graces of the powers that be… Of which he was considered one.

The purple-haired, dark-skinned woman had shown up in this very room one night without alerting his guards, household, or even the garden, her golden eyes glowing like a cat's, only to tell him in no uncertain terms to leave Kurosaki and Rukia and their affairs (did she _have _to phrase it like that?) alone.

A bare moment before the door slid open and Rukia entered, Byakuya had been drumming his fingers on the table and realizing what he was doing (a gauche` habit he abhorred) had grabbed an ink brush to occupy one hand while he picked up a paper in the other. It was a good image to present, the ever-vigilant heir of the house of Kuchiki hard at work.

He let it appear that they had interrupted him and watched dispassionately as Rukia straightened from her respectful bow. His black eyes lifted to lock with Kurosaki's golden brown ones. It was not lost on him that Kurosaki didn't bow but instead greeted the Captain of the Sixth with an impertinent, "Hey Byakuya."

His black eyes narrowed until Byakuya noticed that pallor of the human's face and the nervous shine in his eyes. The heir of the Kuchiki's relaxed, perversely glad that his stare had made the boy uneasy. _As it well should!_

He nodded to the chairs in front of him, indicating for the two to sit.

"Let's talk." Byakuya's pleasure increased even more when he saw Kurosaki scowl as he lifted his zanpakutou from his back, leaned it against the back of the chair and then took his seat, more sullen slouching than sitting.

When Byakuya glanced at Rukia he was satisfied to see that she was watching him courteously with hands folded demurely in her lap, waiting for him to speak. He could tell she was trying to act like a Kuchiki. Knowing how difficult it was for her, he gave her a softer look even if it wasn't exactly a smile. Turning back to the boy and his dark glower, Byakuya could feel his blood pressure rising by just looking at him.

Noting the lowered brow and golden brown eyes glaring up at him from under them made Byakuya want to rip into the ryoka. While they had worked through a great deal of their grudge against each other, the two would never be buddies (the mere thought almost made Byakuya gag) but they had found an area of mutual respect and upon which they both agreed: they wanted Rukia to be happy. It didn't hurt that they both detested Aizen. However, he refused to believe that this uncouth barbarian could possibly make his little sister happy.

The captain of Sixth Company seethed under his expressionless face. The boy hadn't even opened his mouth yet and at the moment, all the Kuchiki lord wanted to do was grab Kurosaki by the scruff of the neck and toss him out the door. It was a fortunate thing for everyone in the room that he was able to keep his enmity under firm control. He would show this bumbling peasant how a noble acted.

Placing elbows on the desk before him, Byakuya peered over his clasped hands at the two and asked, "Do you know why I have asked you both here?"

Rukia shifted uneasily in her chair, glanced at Ichigo before turning dark purpling eyes back to Byakuya.

"Yeah," started Ichigo, "because you're a…"

"...Concerned about the future of our friendship," broke in Rukia loudly, overriding what Ichigo was about to say.

This earned her an elegant eyebrow raised in her direction from her brother while causing Kurosaki to turn his glare from Byakuya to her.

"Fine then," he said to Rukia but then turned and addressed the rest at Byakuya. "You are _concerned_, we got it."

"But we don't have a relationship in the way you are thinking, Byakuya nii-sama!" insisted Rukia, leaning forward in her chair determined to convince her brother.

"Yet," the head of the Kuchiki clan supplied. He studied them from under hooded eyes. The Kurosaki brat was meeting his gaze with a mutinous one of his own. So like him.

"Assume all you want," retorted the boy with no little heat in his tone.

It wasn't without reason his school records mentioned that he had difficulties with authority figures, but in truth, he really didn't have a problem with Rukia's brother himself, it was when he was acting superior and all "lord of the manor" and ordering the two of them in that patronizing tone of his telling them what they could and couldn't do that made Ichigo want to push back.

"Impudent and disrespectful as always," said Byakuya and then was irked with himself for letting that much slip out. He took in a deep calming breath before moving on. "I think it is safe to say that things will most probably move in that direction." It wasn't a question.

"We haven't decided which direction we are moving in yet, if we are even moving in some direction! But when we _do _move in a direction of our choosing, you will be one of the **last** to know," Ichigo said with firm conviction, not even bothering to look at Rukia to confirm or deny.

Rukia stared at Ichigo mouth open. _Direction?_ What was going on between these two? Was she the only sane one here? They were both acting like a couple of testosterone junkies! Still, she had to give her brother credit for at least trying although she couldn't say the same about Ichigo!

Her astonished expression slid into a glower promising retribution at a later date. _Just wait until I get him alone! Blathering on about directions, I know what's happening, his lips are moving but his brain is off duty!_

The ebony-haired man closed his eyes for a second before opening them to stare dispassionately back at the human. He was the one with class, he shouldn't let the peasant, the _human _peasant, get the better of him. He was a noble of the Kuchiki clan and must be the one to control his temper and behavior and thereby set an example for the lower class to follow. Lowering his arms to rest his still clasped hands on the desk, black eyes dark as night studied the deputy soul reaper for a few seconds. He congratulated himself on his restraint.

He would try again. "I wonder if the two of you have thought this whole thing through while in a calm, rational state."

Rukia leaped in and spoke in a rush before Ichigo could answer. "I am sorry Byakuya nii-sama, but Ichigo and I haven't been anything but comrades and friends until this time. We haven't had a chance to talk about relationships and things." She paused, blushed a little, feeling rather than seeing Ichigo nod in agreement. Spreading out her hands she went on, "I, well, _we_, have done nothing that would bring dishonor to the Kuchiki name."

"Good, I am glad to hear that. It sounds like you at least have a good grasp of the situation."

He turned his gaze to Ichigo. "Have you thought about your relationship at all?"

Ichigo crossed his arms not wanting to admit that he had not thought about relationship in the way that these two were talking about. The only thing he had were certain fantasies while falling asleep at night. All of which were classified in the 'Top Secret' compartment of his imagination even upon pain of death. He knew damn well that, especially when considering an already irritated Byakuya, this would lead to whirling cherry petals and about a billion swords hanging in midair. It wasn't fun the first time around and he really didn't want to tangle with Byakuya's Senkei form of his bankai again if he could help it.

Rubbing a hand behind his head, he decided to stick with the basic truth and said, "No, I haven't been thinking about it."

"Of course not, that requires one to do something other than reacting to everything with a drawn zanpakutou," snapped out Byakuya, but instantly regretted it. The boy had finally gotten to him!

"What's that supposed to mean 'Kuya?" Ichigo asked in a low and dangerous tone as he pushed himself up from his previous slouch.

Byakuya froze as did Rukia, one in profound shock and other in horror. Rukia couldn't believe her ears, had he just addressed nii-sama in such a casual and cavalier fashion?

Again Byakuya closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, knowing that reminding the boy to call him by his title would only be met with a blank stare.

He opened them again and speared Kurosaki with a quelling look, but judging from the youth's closed expression it wasn't making much of an impression.

"So what if she's my girlfriend? So what if we have plans that haven't been approved by you and the clan elders? What difference does it make?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia blurted out, once again shocked but he ignored her.

"If the Kuchikis don't like the fact that I might be her boyfriend they can eat..."

"ICHIGO!" His name burst out of her mouth without her realizing it, but after that all she could do was whip around in her chair to gape at him, totally speechless now.

This was definitely not how she envisioned this meeting would proceed. No, in her mind everyone spoke in pleasant, civil tones. Delicately and with great tact she intended to bring up the subject of them going on a date. Instead, she was watching this go down in flames and they hadn't even been in the room ten minutes! Rukia hadn't even intended to bring up the topic of them committing to a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship at this point. What was he thinking?

Ichigo leaned forward in his chair, matching stare for stare with the older man. No way was he going to back down now. No one was going to tell him who he could date and he certainly wasn't going to let Kuchiki have any say in the matter whatsoever. It was none of his damn business.

Leaning so close that he was on the edge of his seat, he challenged, "Yeah, you heard me right. She's my girlfriend and someday…"

"Yes, yes, I know," snapped a thoroughly incensed Byakuya who was holding onto his own temper by a thread. Ill-mannered brat. Even Renji wasn't this obnoxious. "You and my sister will date, then get married and litter the planet with orange-haired stick-waving heirs for Isshin to spoil. Congratulations and spare me the details!" He reached up to rub at a vein that was beginning to throb. If this kept up, it was certain to blossom to a migraine in no amount of time.

As much as he would like to order Rukia to never see this unsophisticated brat, he would respect her wishes, and also Hisana's wishes, that Rukia be allowed to choose her intended mate, even if she was making the worst decision of her long life.

Byakuya ignored Rukia's pale face and open mouth. Instead he unclasped his hands to push up from the desk until he towered over the infuriating human who wanted to manhandle his baby sister. "Fine then. She has chosen you and even though I totally object to her deplorable choice; not to mention taste, in the matter, I will go along with her decision."

At the start of the harangue, Ichigo had leaped to his feet and thrust his face close to Byakuya's ready to defend himself and Rukia, and without thinking about what had been said, snapped out, "Fine by me pal; bring it on!" Then he stopped, flummoxed as the forbidding scowl faded into puzzlement and asked, "What? Wait. What… did you just…. say?"

Byakuya overrode him, "You may date; as you so quaintly put it, my precious sister but I insist that the betrothal ceremony not be held for a few years yet at the very least. It may be that Rukia will return to her right mind and see you for the shaggy, unseemly, uncouth ryoka that you have always been."

Ichigo's mouth opened and shut as he stared wildly at the Kuchiki lord. Finally he gasped out, "Betrothal? Ceremony? What the hell! I can't get betrothed! I… I've got homework!"

"Yes, of course a ceremony!" Byakuya nearly hissed out, how thick was the brat? "However you will _wait _to be betrothed until I decide you pass Kuchiki standards. If you pass the trial period and assessment process then you may proceed to the more intense background check and lineage inspection."

Ichigo lost the last of his frayed temper, "Standards! Lineage inspection! To hell with that! We'll be betrothed any time we feel like it! And that's with or without your approval, in fact, today if we want!"

He turned to Rukia who sat motionless in her seat unable to speak as she stared at both men with mouth dropped open and wide eyes. This was not going well at all.

"Rukia," Ichigo ordered, "We're betrothed, got it?"

Then turning back to confront the Sixth's captain, he gave him a defiant half-grin saying, "There, now what are you going to do? We're betrothed! And I will let _**you **_know if the Kuchikis live up to the Kurosaki's standards! Now stay out of our business!"

Unthinking, Byakuya's hand dropped to his waist to draw Zenbonzakura before remembering he had left it in the bedroom.

"Fine then boy, we will…"

Interrupting the heir of the Kuchiki's, the sound of loud knocking at the door and surprised, three heads whirled toward the door while Byakuya said automatically, "Come in."

Three elderly men entered, barely glancing at Ichigo and Rukia before turning to focus their attention on the head of the Kuchiki clan.

Ichigo stared at the men, then to Rukia who mouthed, "Clan elders".

He looked at the three old, stooped men, yet from the aura surrounding them, knew they were not men to be taken lightly. Even Byakuya rose to speak to them respectfully for they were the ones who make sure the traditions and rules of the past were followed as interpreted by them.

Orange brows lowered over brown eyes already aflame with indignation, now these old men were probably here to issues orders, expectations, and talk about _standards _and such as well. Well, if they thought that then they had another think coming because he wasn't going to put up—

"Lord Byakuya, we are here on some urgent business pertaining to the clan, it concerns a Kuchiki marriage."

Byakuya nodded. Although he appreciated the back up and the weight of the elders behind him, it wasn't necessary for them to involve themselves in this discussion. He had wanted to keep it more casual and between brother and sister, now, just by them stepping into the room, the whole dynamic of the meeting was instantly transformed into a more official **Kuchiki **matter, but he couldn't send them away, not when they were within their rights as Kuchiki clan elders to come and assess the situation, and potential suitor.

The small group looked at the two younger shinigami. Recovered from the shock, Rukia was now on her feet and bowed before them, greeting each in turn with a respectful tone. All nodded vaguely, their attention still on Byakuya.

The eldest one with a white mustache stated in a scratchy, quavering voice, "You may wish to have these youngsters leave the room while we discuss this important matter."

Ichigo was ready to leap up and protest, no way were these old men going to decide his future with Rukia!

Before he could move, Byakuya had lifted a hand to forestall him. Glancing over, he said, "Do not worry Kurosaki, since this involves the two of you, you both may stay."

Turning back to the senior elder he informed him, "You may speak in front of my sister and," here he gave Ichigo a flat stare, and bit out, "her intended betrothed."

All the men turned as one to stare at Rukia and heat rushed to her face. They didn't care for her much before this and if they didn't want her there she was fine with leaving.

"If the honored elders wish for us to leave…"

"No." This came from both Ichigo and Byakuya at the same time and they exchanged surprised glances.

"No," repeated Byakuya.

Although he might not care for Rukia's pick of a future mate, he did believe it was her choice. Kurosaki and Rukia had the right to be here and hear what the elders wanted to say on the subject.

Using his most formidable Kuchiki lord face, he informed the elders, "Let them stay, whatever you have to say can be said in front of them."

The elders stared at each other for a second before one of them shrugged. "Let it be so then."

"Lord Byakuya, as you know when marriage is being considered for the clan, it must pass through the council of elders."

Byakuya nodded, only half listening.

"What? They get to decide? This is so wrong!" Ichigo burst out even though Rukia had a death grip on his forearm while giving him a look that could have seared the bark off a tree.

Byakuya would have let a bare wisp of a smile grace his lips in approval had the elders not been standing there to observe it.

However, no matter what he thought of Kurosaki as a potential brother-in-law (that thought alone was appalling enough) but he did agree with the orange-haired youth.

He made a placating gesture and said, "Don't mind that Kurosaki, nothing shall jeopardize your relationship… unless you do it yourself." He added dryly causing the human soul reaper to turn his heated glare at him.

Byakuya thought he knew where this conversation was going and was already lining up and organizing the arguments in his head to convince the council to let Rukia pick her own mate.

Byakuya didn't see the three elders exchange puzzled looks as he stared off into a distance that only existed in his own mind while internally busy arranging a line of reasoning and in what order to present it.

"As Lord Byakuya wills. By council agreement, the one area that Kuchiki-sama has no say in—"

Byakuya's attention snapped back to the moment, this was something he hadn't taken into consideration. They were going to override him? They couldn't do that. His word was law where it concerned all Kuchiki marriages… Then his scalp prickled and his blood went cold, except for…

"We the council of the Kuchiki clan have so ordained it. The Lord of the Kuchikis will begin the search for a bride. If one is not procured within the time frame of two years, the council will reconvene and choose one for you. That is all."

At that, the threesome turned and left the room.

Rukia watched the three elders depart and the door slid shut behind them. Instantly she was at her brother's side while he was now staring off into the distance, eyes wide with shock. Gently she grasped his sleeve and gave it a little shake. When that did nothing to snap him out of his stunned state she shook harder.

"Byakuya nii-sama! Are you all right?" She said it softly but realized that he probably didn't hear her over the loud, raucous laughing.

Turning, Rukia was just in time to see a hunched Ichigo, arms clutched over his stomach, fall out of his chair from helpless peals of laughter.

"Shut up, Ichigo! Can't you see my brother is traumatized?!"

She couldn't see him since the desk blocked her view of him, but from the floor a gleeful shout of "Hallelujah! There _is_ a God!" before once more bursting out in gales of helpless laughter.

Rukia turned back to her brother; she would deal with that orange-haired idiot later.

**The Start of a New Day**

For the first time in over two days, Momo felt rested. Although she had woken up before dawn, this was the most sleep she had consecutively in a very long time and it felt great!

The first thing she had done was make a beeline for the shower (and toilet). Now she was dressed in a newly laundered shihakushou and her freshly washed hair was tucked up into its usual bun. All traces of smudges, dirt, and sand were scrubbed off and the light scent of the lavender and honey soap emanated from her skin. Closing her eyes, she took a deep whiff. It was heaven to be clean again and she swore to never again to underestimate the rejuvenating powers of a good, long shower.

Momo stepped back from the steam-fogged mirror and bent over trying to find a clear enough space to view her reflection. She was concerned about any bruises showing up on what skin showed. From what could be seen she wasn't looking too bad. In fact, after examining what areas of skin she could see through the slowly dissipating steam, the only evidence of her adventure were a few fading bruises, with no evidence of cuts or scrapes at all.

Momo bent down for one more look in the at the bottom of the mirror where the fog was starting to clear before leaving the bathroom, but then noticed that her bun was a looking a little lopsided. With a snort of annoyance, she straightened, quickly untied it and redid the bun and hair covering with a deft hand. Then, squatting a little so she could see herself in the mirror again, the chestnut-haired female smiled with satisfaction to see that it was on evenly this time.

It was when she straightened and giving her hair a final pat that she noticed a small square of paper leaning against the mirror in the corner. Curious, the chocolate-haired girl reached for it. After reading her name and Isane's name on it, she wondered why it was there. _Huh, the only way to know for sure is to open it and find out_.

Her eyebrows climbed as she read that the duel between Isane and Renji had been reset for this morning. Momo was glad she had woken up early. Now she could make breakfast and eat before she needed to be at the field.

When Momo reached for the door, she made sure to open it slowly and as quietly as she could. Once the door was open, light-brown eyes immediately went to where Toshiro was asleep in the chair by her bed.

Tiptoeing through the room to the bedroom door, she carefully slid it open and quietly moved through to slide it shut behind her. Momo decided not to wake Toshiro up but instead make him breakfast, and it would be easy since she knew what his favorite foods were, besides watermelon which didn't count, because everyone knew that!

With quick but silent movements, she gathered the few ingredients and made a simple breakfast of a couple of eggs, rice, toast, and his favorite tea.

The sun still wasn't up, but she went ahead and opened the curtains and then windows to let in the sharp tang of an early autumn morning. Leaning on the windowsill she deeply inhaled the clear, brisk air and then smiled. It was going to be a good day.

Hurrying, because she didn't want the eggs to get cold, she opened the door, not even trying to be quiet this time, and called out, "Shiro-chan! Time to wake up, sleepyhead! I have breakfast for you!"

She moved around to the far side of the futon and set the tray on the night table before turning to watch as he snapped awake. _Eyes open, but not all there yet_, Momo reflected as she watched.

Hitsugaya blinked a few times as sleep-dulled eyes scanned the room to take in his surroundings before rising to latch onto Momo's beaming face.

"Huh? Wha… Where am I?" His voice was deep and thick as he unsteadily pushed himself up in the chair.

"In my bedroom," offered Momo as she poured him a cup of tea.

"Oi!" He said and grabbed the back of his neck.

"Really, it's not that bad; in fact, I think it is a rather nice bedroom, although a little messy at the moment." As Momo was speaking, she saw with fresh eyes how uncharacteristically messy her room was and her cheeks flushed red. Seeing a pair of unmentionables on the floor (she desperately wished were 'unseeables'), she shifted her stance and placed the tip of her foot under them and kicked them under the chair Hitsugaya was sitting in. She thanked all her lucky stars and whatever gods were in fashion that week that he was too busy rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and didn't see the movement.

Momo's eyes flicked around the room and felt another flush rush up her neck and face. As soon as Shiro-chan was able she wanted to usher him out of the room with as much speed and promptness as possible. Despairingly she knew that there was no way he had not seen the state of her room and she knew that nothing escaped the attentive eye of the Tenth's taicho.

She turned back to study him. The luxuriant silvery-white locks were drooping down over his forehead, reminding her of when he was a child and the times when she had gone in his room to wake him up. His lids were still lowered over his eyes so only a sliver of the blue-green orbs showed.

"Shiro-chan, you are waking up very slowly today. Are you not feeling well?" She bent over, reaching to feel his forehead when he snatched her hand and held it capture in his.

"I'm fine, Momo," he said as he lifted his eyes to meet hers.

She didn't know whether to believe him or not, as his eyes still looked clouded, but at least they were open wider now. Being so close to his face, she couldn't help but notice how stunningly vivid aquamarine they were. As she gazed into them, Momo watched them turn a darker hue, his gaze locked onto her eyes. Something intense was rising from the depths, layer by layer and she was enchanted by the mystery, the torrent of emotion reciprocating and flooding her being as she tried to fathom what it was she was beholding.

Lifting his other hand, he carefully caressed the side of her face to cup her cheek in his palm. For a long moment they stayed like that, Momo was unable to move caught in his molten gaze, and he greedily staring up gathering in every aspect as if the sight of her was his very sustenance.

Slowly, gracefully he stood, palm sliding to the back of her neck, and with very little pressure so that Momo didn't even notice it happening, he dropped his hold on her hand to slide that arm to circle her slender waist while pulling her toward him.

"Momo," he started, deciding he was going to confess as it was long overdue.

"Huh?" the chocolate haired-girl replied, mouth slightly open as she stared back into his eyes.

"I don't want there to be any misunderstanding between us so I want to tell you now."

She raised one hand to her chest; surely her heart was going to rip right out of her ribcage it was beating so fast.

"Right now?" she squeaked.

"Of course _right _now," he replied with a frown. "What other kind of _now _is there?"

"Oh, 'now' as in a _later _now," she replied nervously, starting to tremble, or maybe it was because it was still in the coldest part of the wee hours before dawn.

Toshiro stared, his brain processing the sentence and it told him she wasn't making sense, but some other part of him was screaming at him that she was trying to communicate something that maybe she didn't even understand herself.

"Momo," he said taking a small step back. He reached down and clasped her smaller hands in his (one more sign that he had grown and about time too!) and held her melting velvet brown eyes with his own dark aqua ones, "I don't know much about…" how to word this so she didn't freak out on him and not a thought came out so he continued and it sounded lame to his ears, "relationships, er you know, the ones between girls… I mean, me between girls, no, rather, you and guys, no I mean…" Hitsugaya squeezed his eyes shut, why was only brain sludge coming out?

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes again, fixed his blue-green ones on her lovely features which were beginning to show confusion, and explained, "What I am so clumsily trying to say here, is that I want us to be in a relationship," he paused, "of the male-female variety."

"Huh?"

He had to stop and stare, captive at the sight of the cute wrinkle of her nose as she thought over his words.

"Shiro-chan, are you trying to ask me to be your girlfriend?"

His throat was too tight to speak, so not trusting his voice, shook his head.

The smile that had slowly been spreading across her lips froze, and instead, she gave him a puzzled frown until it was slowly replaced by a look of hurt.

A twinge of panic went through Toshiro at the sight. "No," he managed in a quick but husky voice, "I'm not. I want more than just that. I want a union between us on every level, physical, mental, and heart and soul; absolutely nothing less than that. I want you to marry me. Oh, I know," he hurried on as her mouth dropped open, "Not any time soon, but I am not going to play games with you. I want you. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Like I said, nothing less than that will do."

Momo was in shock. She was vaguely aware that her mouth was hanging open but was so busy staring back into Hitsugaya's eyes that she couldn't think, couldn't process a single thought.

"Momo, what are you thinking?"

"Brain… not working…."

Toshiro smiled softly at her frozen, flabbergasted expression and then, pulled her closer, resting his forehead on hers, and whispered, "What does your heart say?"

"It says 'yes'," Momo replied without even thinking.

Then joy lit up her eyes and after a sweet bell-like chuckling, she asked, "Yes, because that means Shiro-chan likes me, right?"

"Like you? Only_ like_ you?" His razor-thin silver eyebrows rose dramatically, "That doesn't begin to cover what I feel about you!"

"Well, Shiro-chan has never really come out and said before…"

A sudden, unexpected jerk and his lips covered hers, stopping her mid-sentence.

First, all that registered was the fact she wasn't speaking, before the lips soft yet determined to convey all the emotion, all the depth of feeling within him that words were too lacking right at this moment. Again, her brain wanted to take a vacation, but this time for different reasons.

Fire, lightening, wind, ice, all these and more flooded through him, ripping to shreds the years of loneliness that he never realized were so a part of him, and leaving behind a belonging when two become one.

Her lips under his mouth burned with a sweet fire, sending a raging pulse of warmth throughout him. Then when the fire settled into heart and raced through veins creating a new, although not unpleasant, searing sensation of ice and snow. A blaze of icy flames swept through, hardening him even as it smoldered into the depths of his being.

Unexpected warmth rapidly pulsed through Momo and she relaxed into his embrace as his arms slid around her waist pulling her tight against him. Her feminine softness molded against him, and skin tingled wherever skin touched skin, and there definitely wasn't enough of that!

When Momo gave a happy sigh under his mouth, a rush of heat raced through him and his pulse thundered in his ears. The next sensation that registered on his overwhelmed senses was the taste of velvet softness as her mouth yielded to his more possessive, demanding one.

Momo was shy, never having really been involved in such a steamy kiss before and briefly wondered if she was doing it right. That thought (and any others) dissolved within seconds as a delicious shiver raced up and down her spine. Toshiro held her tight against him, and even if she wanted (which she didn't), she would not have been able to break free. What she did want was more of him, more of this losing herself to the fire that was flaring and rising upwards. Could one die from such a sweet, desperate, longing kiss? She was ready to find out.

The only coherent thought she had before it too took flight was that this was just the beginning.

* * *

**1 –**chikusho – Japanese equivalent for 'damn'

Heartfelt thanks to all readers!

-_Dwellin_


	20. Complicated Mating Rituals

As always, Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo and not Dwellin. (And don't think she's not miserable about it.)

Updated: 9/20/12

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**Complicated Mating Rituals**

Isane Kotetsu, healer and vice-captain of the Fourth Company, uncharacteristically had arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently, stirring up small puffs of dust at her feet.

Where was that redheaded baka? She glanced over her shoulder to where the sun's rays barely glowed across the horizon. The morning was cool and crisp, in keeping for this time of year and she could see the breath coming out of her mouth in small puffs. It was a little chillier than she normally liked, but the day promised to be pleasantly warm. Besides, once they got the duel started, the cool air would be welcome when they were sweating buckets.

Thin lavender braids of hair swung one way and then another as Isane searched the grounds and surrounding area for any sight of him while she also extended her senses for his signature reiatsu. Where was he? _He _was the one who sent the message last night saying that it was too long to wait two days and that they must duel the next morning. If she was up to it that is. _If she was up to it? _That jerk! Of course she had sent a terse note back saying she was more than up to it.

"Where is he?" Isane huffed out. "You'd think he would be on time! After all, this was his idea!"

Isane glanced down at her shorter and younger sister, Kiyone, expecting her to agree and frowned when all she did was shrug. They didn't look much alike at all and certainly didn't act alike. Kiyone was loud, brash, and wasn't above yelling, leaping about, waving her arms, making a scene and calling attention to herself. Isane was the quiet, shy, and introspective one; the total opposite of her younger sister.

Kiyone looked up and gave her older sister an impish grin and replied, "Maybe it takes him longer to get ready in morning. You know that _is _a lot of hair to gel into spikes."

Despite herself, Isane smiled. Kiyone always knew what to say to brighten her mood.

"Or perhaps he paints those tats on new every morning."

Kiyone was gratified to see Isane's chuckle. The shorter blond girl was just glad she was able to help since Isane was starting to spiral down into a brooding, anxious state. Her sibling was the worrying type; she knew that her sister, despite being a vice-captain, had been second-guessing herself every second since uttering that challenge. In fact, right after the dinner she had shown up at her younger sister's doorsteps wringing her hands, horrified at her behavior at Momo's and wondering what to do about it.

Kiyone thought it was a joke at first. Isane never lost her temper. It was simply not something she did. It was out of character for her while Kiyone lost hers all of the time, on a daily basis in fact. The only thing the two really had in common was the fact that they adoringly followed after their captains, even if each chose to express it in different ways, Isane with more dignity (in her opinion) and Kiyone with active and vocal adulation.

After making her older sister a calming cup of tea, Kiyone had been shocked to hear what had happened at Momo's. Shocked at first but then had laughed out loud, which earned her a frown from her more self-possessed and reserved older sibling. Still, she had agreed to be Isane's second in this duel.

Since the challenge had been issued in front of witnesses, especially a vice-captain even if one that was temporary on leave, along with time and place, it became a more serious matter. This is what she had pointed that out to an already overwrought Isane who looked ready to bang her head repeatedly on the table.

Kiyone snuck a considering glance at her sister, who just let out a deep exhale and said, "I know you think I am going to lose…"

"Badly and in much pain."

"Oh thanks for the encouragement!" Isane snapped, miffed. It didn't help that she secretly agreed with her.

"Listen, we know you are a good shinigami, even above average or else you wouldn't have made second seat."

Isane looked over, interested in spite of herself, wondering where Kiyone was going with this.

"Remember, I am a third seat, although I have to share with goat-face, and I am no slouch at battle either."

Isane nodded impatiently, hoping that Kiyone would get to the point, if a point were to be had.

The blond paused for a moment, for once thinking before speaking because the last thing she wanted to do was hurt her sister's feelings. "It's just that everyone knows Renji has been in many, _many _battles. By now he has had a ton of battle experience and you have had none. Zilch. Nada. Zero. Also, he has achieved bankai. And I don't need to tell you how rare that is! You know that it's usually only captains that can perform bankai."

Isane's shoulders sagged, "Right. What you are saying is that I am going to get trounced, is that it?"

"Oh yeah, trounced, flounced, and beaten to a pulp."

"Gee thanks."

Isane closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. The image Kiyone painted was not pretty.

"Well at least you work for the right company!"

The blond silently wondered if maybe they should have alerted someone to stand by in case Isane needed serious medical care… maybe that seventh seat, Yamata, Yamamoto, what the heck was his name again?

Isane let out a small groan and dropped her hand before muttering, "Why did I ever think having you be my dueling second was a good idea? I should have asked Hanataro Yamada."

That was it! Yamada.

The lavender-haired girl eyed her sister with affectionate exasperation and said, "At least if there were any injuries on either side," she spoke hurriedly to keep Kiyone from correcting her, "he could help me heal them."

Kiyone considered that, and then nodded, deciding it would be wisdom on her part not to tell Isane she had been thinking the exact same thing.

Isane watched her sister's face and wondered how she did that, flashing from one emotion to the next at breakneck speed. Next, a smile crinkled up Kiyone's eyes while she lifted her hands and clasped them behind her head.

"Actually," the smaller girl began, tilting her head slightly, "What has me curious is the fact that this is taking place at all. Renji and you don't exactly move in the same social circles and you are not usually all piss and vinegar enough to pick a fight with anyone."

The glove-wearing girl lowered her arms, so one hand could cup her chin with a forefinger and thumb; her brows gathered thoughtfully as she mused, "In fact, you have never had a duel with anyone that I can remember. So that begs the question, 'why this time?'"

Isane dug into the dirt with a big toe. She couldn't answer that question; she wasn't even sure herself what had gotten into her the evening before. All she remembered was the instantaneous fury welling up within and then the spewing forth of same said fury at the redheaded vice-captain of the Sixth.

Just then they both felt approaching spiritual pressures and turned in the direction of as they came closer. Then each eyed each other wondering if the other was picking up the same thing, more reiatsu were coming than expected.

"Who all did you invite? There's some powerful reiatsu coming this way."

"You as my second, and Momo of course since she was the witness," Isane murmured as she cocked her head, recognizing one immediately and where usually she found it a calming influence to be around that particular reiatsu, this time it made her shift nervously. What was _she _doing here? And how did _she _find out? It was the most important '_she_' in Isane's world, outside of her sister.

In the next second, Renji winked into view along with the human deputy soul reaper, Kurosaki. That wasn't too surprising, those two were friends, and neither was the sight of Momo, but at her side was Captain Hitsugaya and that indeed was a bit of a surprise as well as off-putting. Then captains Kuchiki and Unohana appeared on the scene, both unruffled and at ease as if getting up before the crack of dawn to attend a duel between their vice-captains was a normal every day event.

Sweat immediately popped out on Isane's forehead and pricked unpleasantly under her arms, along with a strong desire to sink into the grounds of the Sixth's practice field. Three captains, count them, one, two, three…_Three_! Her mouth went dry and just in time she held back the whimper that wanted to leak out.

"Wow," said her sister, visibly impressed, "how do _you _rate?"

"This is _not _rating," hissed Isane out of the side of her mouth and then her eyes went lifted toward the sky imploringly, "Please someone, _unrate _me!"

With light gray eyes still pointed skyward, Isane breathed out a quiet if desperate, "Why me?" before dropping her head so that the slender strands of beaded hair swung about her face. She squeezed her eyes shut and urgently wished with all her heart that this was just another fish sausage nightmare she could wake up from. Opening them, the tall vice-captain glanced around to confirm her living nightmare. Oh yes indeed, everyone and their freaking captain was still heading in their direction!

Finally she admitted softly, "You're right, I already know how this was going to play out and it _is _with me on my backside in the dirt with one smug, red-haired, smirking, arrogant, loud-mouthed tattooed vice-captain standing over me with a mocking sneer!"

Was it too late to back out? What was it that she was seeking to prove in the first place? For the life of her she couldn't remember.

"What have I done to deserve this? I am a capable and dedicated member of the Fourth Squad, and, I'm a nice person. I am also a good vice-captain. I am well respected in my company, and I have friends; lots of them in fact. Oh, and I also turn in my reports on time. I take care of the sick and wounded, and certainly I'm more than a competent healer, I excel in the healing department, and, and… Did I also mention that I'm a good vice-captain?"

She turned and implored of her sister, "Right, you think so right? A really adept one, well, maybe not as competent or as efficient as Ise-san… or as meticulous and dedicated as Nemu-chan, but…oh crap…"

"I got a suggestion," her sister spoke from out the side of her mouth while her eyes watched the approaching uninvited guests.

"What?" asked Isane eagerly as she felt a faint flutter of hope rise up within her.

"Run," answered Kiyone flatly.

Hope whimpered and died. "Thanks. Like that will help."

"It won't but maybe it give you time to reconsider this whole challenging someone bigger, stronger, and more experienced than you to a fight."

"You are worse than useless, you know that?"

"But," countered Kiyone holding up a gloved finger, "I'm not the one about to get into a sparring match I can't win; and in the presence of three captains no less."

Isane shut her mouth. Sometimes little sisters were a pain in the ass. And other times little sisters were a pain in the ass because they happened to be right.

"Kuchiki taicho, how are you this morning?" asked Unohana falling in step with the captain of the Sixth.

"I am doing well, thank you; and you?"

"Intrigued. I assume you came to watch also?"

"Indeed," Byakuya inclined his head gracefully.

"Were you asked?"

Now Byakuya turned his face slightly to look at his fellow captain before answering, "No, I was not. However, I heard it was an official challenge. I am here in an **official** capacity. And you?"

If Retsu was offended by Byakuya's attitude she didn't give any sign of it, instead she replied in her soft voice, "For the same reason. I want to make sure that your fukutaicho doesn't take unfair advantage."

Byakuya stiffened. "Although Abarai is still uncouth, rude, and ill-mannered in many areas, he still has come quite a ways from his… barbaric beginnings. I am sure he would not take unfair advantage of your _more gentle_ fukutaicho."

"Of course,' she too inclined her head, tucking her hands into the sleeves of her captain's cloak, a slight smile playing about the corners of her lips, "however it is well known that Abarai is somewhat…" she waited a beat before supplying, "a bit overenthusiastic when he fights."

Byakuya tilted his head slightly before giving a barely perceptible nod of agreement, "This is true. I am afraid, it stems from serving in several different companies and being under their dubious training and influences before being transferred to mine."

Retsu smiled at the Kuchiki's heir sure conviction, she wasn't about to debate him on that point.

"I am here for the same reason you are Kuchiki taicho, because we are concerned about our lieutenants."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him tense and open his mouth to object but then closed it to give a tight nod. The healer was surprised he admitted to that much, but the reserved captain of the Sixth had changed since the near-execution of his sister, and it was for the better.

By unspoken agreement, both dropped their discussion as they neared the place where both of their seconds were standing, while their witnesses stood off to the side watching with interest and not a little concern.

"Geez Renji, what were you thinking? She's kind of skinny and not very strong looking even if she is tall."

"Shut up! I didn't ask you to come so you could make smart-assed comments, just to act as my second." He waited a bit, and then remarked in a low voice, admitting, "I have no idea why she challenged me! We were having a nice discussion over a pleasant meal and then all of a sudden she went stark, raving, bug-nuts!"

Ichigo shot his friend a look, having a bit of a problem picturing Renji being a congenial dinner guest.

Renji caught the look of doubt his friend shot him but decided to ignore it and went on, "I really don't know what happened. I was eating, we were chatting, and then all of a sudden she was shouting, and the next thing I know she's in my face challenging me… I just don't get women. They are like, like" he gestured vaguely in the air, "like some kind of alien creatures. Who can figure 'em out anyway? You?" He asked in challenge, cutting Ichigo a sharp look.

Ichigo was smart enough to shake his head. He sure wasn't. He was still trying to figure out what had happened in Byakuya's office last evening and then decided even if he couldn't, he was okay with the outcome. His lips tipped up in an evil grin, besides, it had all been worth it to see the detached and remote Kuchiki get his comeuppance! He raised his hand and gingerly touched the lump on his head, courtesy of Rukia. Even so, definitely, well worth it!

Ichigo turned his attention to the tall girl with the lavender hair and studied her from a warrior's perspective. She didn't stand with a natural ease and grace of an instinctive warrior that was certain, and in those few seconds that he sized her up before they reached the small group he knew the outcome of this morning and winced. Vice-captain or not, Renji was the superior fighter and was going to pound the tar out of her.

Renji strolled up in a bit of a swagger and Ichigo looked off to the side, breathing out an exasperated sigh. And Rukia thought that _he_ was an idiot!

Momo and Toshiro arrived mere seconds after Renji and Kurosaki. The bun-wearing vice-captain looked around and was amazed to see who was on hand to watch the duel. Kurosaki was a bit of surprise, but then she reconsidered and decided it only made sense, although she would have thought Renji would have chosen Izuru to be his witness and second.

"Why do you need to be here?" asked Hitsugaya even as his eyes scanned the gathering of his fellow shinigami.

Momo answered, "I'm the witness, remember?"

Before he could reply she started toward Isane who was fidgeting in place and obviously more than a little apprehensive.

Momo hoped she could help calm the tall girl. With a soft snort Hitsugaya trailed after her, tucking his hands into his sleeves and radiated indifference in all directions.

Ichigo felt a tug of recognition as he stopped evaluating Isane from an opponent's point of view. He looked over at the other, shorter girl and back again to the taller one. Renji said the two girls were sisters, but they didn't look a thing alike, but Ichigo gave a mental shrug, that didn't mean much, his own sisters were as different as night in day in looks and in personalities.

Kurosaki moved closer to Kiyone who also looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't place her either. He wasn't good with faces; never had been. He then turned his attention to the girl Renji was going to fight and recognition finally flooded back. Despite the fact he rarely recalled faces he had only briefly met once or twice; he did have an easier time remembering people he had fought against. Only in this case it hadn't really been much a fight, she hadn't really landed a blow that day he had rescued Rukia. The tall girl had been one of the three vice-captains Soi Fon sent to stop him. He had punched the tall, lavender girl in the stomach before she had time to use her shikai on him.

Ichigo grimaced and rubbed the back of his head as he looked off into the horizon blushing a little with remorse and embarrassment. He fervently hoped she wouldn't remember him. Then he realized how stupid that hope was. There weren't many people that looked like him running around wreaking havoc all over the Seireitei.

Isane turned to acknowledge his presence when Renji gestured in his direction saying, "Yeah, and this is mine, Ichigo Kurosaki. Remember that time he laid you out with a fist to the stomach?"

Ichigo gave Renji his hardest glare and muttered under his breath, "Thanks you big idiot!"

But he was surprised when Isane merely smiled and nodded, "Yes, I remember. That was quite a punch for a human, you really surprised me."

Ichigo smiled and ducked his head at her, grateful she wasn't holding a grudge and suddenly wishing she would win, stomping the snot out of Renji.

"Almost killed her you freak of nature!"

Okaaaay, obviously her sister still held a grudge for she leaned forward and nearly growled at his friend while Renji leaned back away from the menacing tone of the younger sister. Ichigo gave a mental shrug because he knew how Kiyone felt. If anyone hurt either of his sisters, he wouldn't find it so easy to forgive the perpetrator either.

"Water under the bridge," Renji waved with an apologetic grin. Then he looked around in surprise, suddenly taking in the other spiritual pressures and his tattoos rose in surprise.

Turning to look questioningly at Isane he jerked his thumb over his shoulder and asked, "Did you invite all of these captains?"

"No!" she hissed insistently, and then Renji saw as clear as the rising sun the habitual lack of self-confidence reveled in her face as she peered around him at the gathered captains. "I thought you invited them."

She was biting her lower lip, worrying at it, eyes anxious as she watched the captains who were now turning to look in their direction now that the obligatory chitchat was out of the way.

Renji suddenly felt a compelling urge to step in front of Isane to protect her, something he had never felt when it came to Rukia. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not, but it sure as hell was confusing him. Still, the sympathy rose and he couldn't help but say something to ease the tension written all over her face, "Geez, I don't suppose we can postpone this to another day? Or maybe change it to a rousing game of chess?" He would lose that one, but he realized that he just didn't care if he won or she won, just the idea of spending time with her seemed rather pleasant all of a sudden. Where did this come from?

Isane tried to smile but then gave up the effort and let out the groan rising in her throat.

Renji frowned down at her, an unaccustomed tug in his chest. Again this strong urge to protect her rose up, but for once in his life, he chose a course of action that wouldn't get him beaten to a pulp: he reached over and patted her on the shoulder hoping that was comforting without seeming to be condescending.

Deciding that the awkwardness of the moment needed some tension-relief, Renji cleared his throat and said, "Well, let's start this. Once it is over with it won't seem so bad."

_Easy for you to say! _But Isane glumly nodded her lavender head, causing her beaded locks to bounce a bit before turning to trudge to her end of the field.

As she passed her sister, Kiyone turned and fell into step with her, but looked back over her shoulder to see Renji and his human friend walk towards their end before turning back and commenting, "Well, at least it should be over quick."

Isane rolled her eyes and muttered darkly under her breath, "That's the last time I have dinner with Momo."

Surprisingly everyone, and especially Isane, the duel itself went longer than anyone had expected.

She was finding out that in a sealed blade battle, she was quick on her feet, with lightning fast reflexes and she knew when to dodge and feint with uncanny precision. At least that was what she kept telling herself even as Renji yelled, "Stand still damnit!" whenever she flashed back and forth in an erratic zigzag fashion while his blade slashed by her close enough she could feel the breeze of its passing.

From the comments Kiyone and others yelled, not the captains of course, Isane knew they thought she was being quick, clever, and maneuvering Renji into some kind of trap. They couldn't have been more wrong. She was doing her level best to make it look like she wasn't fleeing for her life.

The only reason Renji hadn't beaten her five times to Sunday at this point was the fact that despite his prowess as a warrior, he wasn't much of a battlefield strategist. His strategy was mainly pound the enemy and then pound them some more.

"Dang, I never knew sis was so fast! She's never shown that ability before," remarked Kiyone marveling as Isane once again ducked and skipped away from one of Renji's wide swings. "And she's quick on her feet too! Who knew?!"

Kiyone cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Go Isane! Dance around the baboon, tire him out, feed him bananas!"

"Shut up on the sidelines!" yelled Renji. This was getting frustrating! If she would just hold still!

Finally, he had the Fourth's lieutenant backed up in a corner between two high walls, and normally Isane would have been delighted to see that sweat was pouring down his face and panting, but she was sweating and panting just as hard as he was.

"Like trying to fight a _freaking_ gazelle! Now hold still and fight back!"

_Oh hell no_, Isane thought to herself, and leaped up. Unfortunately for the lavender-haired girl, she had telegraphed her intentions. At the apex of her leap, she was met and blocked by Renji, higher up in the air and already swinging his blade down from an overhand position. Just barely in time was she able to raise her own, Itegumo, and block it. However it was such a powerful blow it sent her flying backwards and down until she landed hard on her heels and sliding back until she slammed even harder against the wall and slid down.

Stunned, Isane shook her head dimly and struggled to her feet while hearing Kiyone yelling something at her. Dazed, she started to turn in that direction when her feet were kicked out from under her. Landing on her back with a thud she squinted up against the sun in her eyes to find Renji's blade tip pointed in her face.

"Do you yield?" he asked softly, a strange expression on his face that she couldn't decipher.

"Yes," she said, grateful it was over and not at all disappointed that she had lost. Her first thought was "I get dibs on the hot tub!" A long soak was her only priority at the moment and she couldn't wait to break away and get started on her well-deserved immersion in steaming water.

She began to sit up when a large, scarred hand was thrust in her face. For a moment Isane could only stare at it stupidly before she realized he was offering to help to her feet. Looking up as she was lifted gently to her feet, the vice-captain of the Fourth noticed that Renji still had an odd, considering look in his eyes, as if assessing her.

When Isane started to pull her hand away, he held onto it, keeping it trapped as his larger one, with stronger fingers wrapped around hers. She looked up into his face again and saw the expression hadn't changed. Small black, pinpoints of obsidian pierced hers, holding her gaze as he kept his face expressionless.

"Wha…" she breathed out softly, wanting to ask what was going on when all her higher cognitive powers fled and all she could do was stare back at him.

Renji was fixated by the storm gray of Isane's wide eyes. How come he had never noticed how incredibly pretty she was before this? And despite being one of the tallest, if not the tallest female soul reapers, she still only came up to the tip of his nose, and her slender hand and fingers were engulfed in his rough one. Despite that though, for the first time ever, Renji wasn't looming over a female, which had always made him feel like a lumbering ox confronted with delicate bone china, readily and easily breakable. So Renji was indeed doing some considering as he stared into Isane's wondering wide-eyed gaze.

It was only when Isane heard Kiyone's voice calling out to her that she broke from the stare to see her sister racing toward them.

"Uhm, excuse me," she said shyly, "but you still have my hand."

Renji looked down and the felt his face flame in reaction. Dropping her hand like a hot stone, he jerked his up to cradle the back of his neck and gave mirthless laugh. "Right, right, good fight there Kotetsu, maybe we can do it again sometime."

"That would be lovely," she said with a tight smile but thought, _not in this incarnation or the next!_

Sliding Zabimaru home into the sheath, Renji gave her a nod and turned away, nearly stumbling when he spied his captain. Isane heard a resigned sigh before the Sixth's fukutaicho s shoulders straightened and he continued toward his captain with resolute steps.

Just then Kiyone slid to a halt beside her taller sister and yelled at Renji's back, "Yeah, that's right, just keep walking ya big tattooed baboon!"

Isane turned and hissed, "Shut up! What are you trying to do, get me into another duel?!"

Kiyone lifted her hands to clasp behind her head ignoring her sister's request, "Well, I have to say, you didn't get trounced as badly as I thought you would have. In fact, you actually didn't suck too badly there at times."

Isane slid Itegumo back into the scabbard. Then with a deep breath she murmured to her sister even though no one was close enough to hear them, "I wonder if I am in trouble. After all, I didn't really fill out the form as correctly as required for Unohana taicho to officially sanction this duel."

Hands still behind her head, Kiyone just laughed and said, "Oh, I doubt she will be mad at you Isane. You're her favorite! If this is the extent of your stepping outside of always obeying the rules, I am sure she will overlook your heinous crime, you crazy delinquent you."

Then still chuckling, Kiyone lowered her hands to give her sister a quick, affectionate hug and then waved before dashing off. "See ya later!"

"Ya, if I'm not incarcerated," sighed Isane and with dragging steps headed to where her captain was standing next to Captain Kuchiki who was waiting on his own slowly approaching assistant captain.

"Captain Kuchiki, I must ask you something."

"Speak then," said Kuchiki, lowering his face to meet Retsu's upturned one, it didn't escape him that there was a sparkle of amusement in them and in the tiny turn of her lips.

"What are your fukutaicho's intentions toward my fukutaicho?"

Kuchiki shut his eyes for a brief second before opening them to study the two young people heading toward them.

"I am not sure I can say Unohana taicho, but I do think it would have been easier all the way around on everyone if he had just asked her out on a date."

Retsu inclined her head in agreement, "Indeed I agree with you, what are young people coming to these days? Were we ever so rash?"

"I would like to think not," murmured Byakuya as memories of Hisana flooded his mind, and then fell silent as Renji neared them.

Renji couldn't look at his captain and eyes cutting off to the side, asked, "So, what are you doing here captain?"

"A messenger from Second Unit informed me that there was unsanctioned duel this morning involving my fukutaicho with one from another company. Imagine my surprise. I do not recall seeing a permission form coming across my desk requesting such a duel."

_No-good nosy Secret Remote Squad busybody clone-bastards! _Snarled Renji to himself but hoped that didn't show in his face. Trying to imitate his captain's unreadable expression, he schooled his features as best he could to be impassive as he possible could. He was in trouble now, darn, he should have filled one out before collapsing into bed last night.

Continuing before Renji had a chance to speak, Byakuya stated as a matter of fact, "Of course, I have not been to the office yet," then he looked up at the sun, risen enough that the chill of the morning was fading.

"Usually I would arrive in the office at about this time, but I do believe this morning I will walk Captain Unohana back to the Fourth Division and maybe share a cup of tea with her if she would so oblige me."

Now those dark eyes came to rest on his vice-captain considering him. Renji knew there was some message being communicated there but for the life of him, couldn't figure out what it was that his captain was trying to tell him.

"I will even **pass the time** taking morning tea," Byakuya stated again emphasizing his words, while turning to look at his counterpart, "If that is acceptable to you, Captain Unohana?"

With a gracious nod Retsu agreed, "Indeed, I would be most pleased to have you as my guest. I too was thinking of taking a light breakfast before heading into do some much needed paperwork. Of course it takes **quite a while** to heat up and brew the tea. "

Isane's eyes went wide and she glanced at Renji who just happened to look back at her at the same time. Each wondered if their face had the same gob-smacked look as the other as both understood the message at the same time.

"Captain Unohana ma'am, I really need to get going, do you need me for anything?" Isane asked politely but shifted in place, unable to hide her impatience to dash off.

"No, Isane, you may leave." Retsu said, taking a small hand out of her sleeve and making a small gesture in the direction of the Fourth Company.

With a bow to both of the captains, Isane dashed off, waiting until she was a respectful distance from the captains before using shunpo to race back to the Fourth. There was a form she needed to fill out without delay.

"Captain sir," Renji could feel a bead of sweat trickling down his back, how he hated paperwork, but at least not with an aversion akin rivaling Matsumoto's and in this case, it would be to his great advantage to have it sitting on his captain's desk before said captain arrived back from having morning breakfast with Captain Unohana. He shifted from one foot to the other, "Could I…" he was already sidling off to the side, "Er, do you need me for…"

"Go," interrupted Byakuya, cutting the awkwardness of the situation before it escalated into something worse.

Renji gave them both a bow that bordered on rude if not for the fact both Captains knew why he was in an all-fire hurry to rush off.

They watched him disappear and then turned when the other attending Captain present addressed them.

"Good morning Captains Kuchiki and Unohana."

"Good morning Captain Hitsugaya, vice-captain Hinamori," intoned Byakuya without inflection.

Crinkling her eyes in pleasure, Retsu returned, "Good morning to you Captain Hitsugaya and also to you vice-captain Hinamori. It was an interesting duel, was it not?"

"I suppose," Hitsugaya, said, expression and tone of voice showing lack of interest. "Although it seems to me that it was a rather uneven match."

Retsu couldn't help but feel defensive but kept all trace of it out of her voice as she answered mildly, "We all have our strengths and weaknesses, Hitsugaya taicho. For my part, I would like to see Abarai fukutaicho try his hand at healing someone with a hollow-inflicted wound."

Hitsugaya didn't know the healer well, but he was well aware that she was protective of her Squad and her people. He could respect that and merely nodded at her words.

Turning to Kuchiki, he asked, "I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time Captain Kuchiki," he glanced to the Captain of the Fourth and then back again. "At a time of your convenience of course," and here he stopped for a moment and both Retsu and Byakuya were sure they could see a hint of pink rise in his cheeks. "I need to discuss a private matter with you."

"I am free this afternoon, come for tea then as I have errands for my staff to do at that time."

"I appreciate it, Captain Kuchiki," Hitsugaya said, feeling more relieved yet at the same time more nervous than before. Turning to Momo he said, "Let's go have breakfast."

"But we just had…"

"Come on Momo!" And with that, he did a neat shunpo and quickly took them out of hearing range.

"They make a nice couple, do they not, Captain Kuchiki," observed Retsu staring after them.

"I try to stay out of other people's relationships," remarked Byakuya evenly.

"Ah well, still, it is nice to see romance blooming among the young people, even if it isn't spring," she replied, secretly amused at her stiff comrade's attempt at being impassive. If he was serious about his opinion of staying out of other's affairs, he wouldn't have come this morning. A smile hovered around her lips. At last, Kuchiki taicho had bonded with his fukutaicho and actually cared what happened to him. It was a good sign.

"Well," she continued, "Shall we take our leave, I believe there is a light repast being set out for us even as we speak."

As one they fell into a leisurely stroll but Retsu was surprised beyond words when Byakuya held out his elbow for her to take. With a graceful nod of thanks she slipped her arm into his without letting her face show any of her amazement. It had been a gesture of a gentleman out walking with a lady but not one that he ever had done when walking with a fellow female captain, which of course, was a select group of two, her and Soi Fon. She could not imagine Captain Kuchiki giving his arm to Captain Soi Fon, it beggared the imagination and she had to stop that line of thought before she had an aneurysm.

They had strolled off the field when Captain Kuchiki's dark head leaned down. Nothing could be heard but Captain Unohana's head snapped around to stare up at him in utter surprise. "Are you asking me out on a date Captain Kuchiki?"

The return answer also could not be heard and soon the two turned a corner and were out of sight as well as sound.

* * *

Sorry, but when I wrote this I didn't have this little fact: both Renji and Isane are exactly the same height, 6'2". I thought I had read somewhere she was 6' and he was even taller than that. This info came from: _Bleach Official Bootleg Color Bleach_ by Tite Kubo. However, I am going to leave it the way it is rather than go back and change anything.

Thanks for reading!

-_Dwellin_


	21. BEGINNG TO TIE THE LOOSER LOOSE ENDS

It has been a long time since I last posted. I have to admit, my dA postings took precedence there for a while because I got more feedback. Yes, as I have said before, I am that shallow.

But, since getting a few messages here and there over the course of the year all asking me to finish this, I decided to come back and finish this story. I went back and re-loaded all the old chapters with corrected ones. Despite my combing through and having betas to help me, there were a few spelling errors and typos that got by all of us. -_-

Tite Kubo owns Bleach. It figures.

Thanks to Mrs. MillyT for being my beta on this.

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**BEGINNING TO TIE LOOSER LOOSE ENDS**

Hitsugaya paced in front of the doors to the Sixth Company. It was five minutes past the time of the appointment he had made with Kuchiki taicho but a sudden and inconvenient case of nerves struck just as he placed one foot on the stairs. Never having had this problem before, the genius of the Tenth froze and rocked back in place. It took a moment of shock before he realized that his body was not moving forward.

"Just go up the stairs stupid, one step at a time."

It was annoying to realize that mind and body were totally in disagreement with one another. This was worse than having an inner battle with Hyourinmaru.

"What is _wrong_ with me!?" the silver spiked captain snapped out. He stopped and looked up at the doors. "It's time to start acting like a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Companies and not like some first-year academy shinigami!"

"Or why don't you just try acting like someone in love?"

Hitsugaya spun.

Standing not yards from him was his fukutaicho giving him a saucy wink and one fist planted on a cocked hip.

"Whaaa…. What are YOU doing here?"

Actually, that wasn't the question he wanted to know but he was too embarrassed to ask how she had been able to sneak up on him without him sensing her arrival. That just didn't happen! Not to captains and especially not to him!

Another wink and a cheeky grin this time; he was ready to ice her.

"Hitsugaya taicho didn't catch me tippy-toeing over? Well, he's really got it bad, but then, I knew that." (Everyone knew that, but now was not a good time to bring that up.)

"You couldn't _tippy-toe_ if your life depended on it! Now answer the question, what are you doing here?"

"Momo sent over a message saying she can't make it for lunch today. She's going out with her buds to celebrate. And also help calm down Isane… seems she's a nervous wreck lately and we are going to take her out to buy clothes for an upcoming date."

"And you couldn't wait to tell me all this until I got back to the office?" Silver brows dipped in an ominous frown.

Now tapping a finger to her chin, Matsumoto appeared to be in rapt contemplation of the sky as she answered, "Well, no, 'cause I'll be gone, but heck taicho, I could feel your fluctuating reiatsu from across the Seireitei and I am sure anyone with a modicum of sensitivity can feel it too." She glanced over at him, gave him a smile and another wink.

He wished she would stop doing that.

"So, I am spiking a bit…"

"Tons!"

"A bit! I am calming down even as we speak!"

"That thundercloud over your head and the drop in temp says otherwise."

For once Hitsugaya gave his fukutaicho credit, after all, she, in her own strange, languid approach to life, did care about him. He could always trust her to have his back. If only she weren't so… so… _her_!

Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes for a second before saying, "Right then. I am at…."

"One with the Force, tuned in to the universe, sampling the cosmic energies, thruster on full…"

"NO MORE HUMAN TV FOR YOU!"

"Well, good luck talking with Kuchiki taicho!" Rangiku said in a singsong voice, winked at him one last time and then took off.

"Just how do they choose fukutaichos anyway, draw names out of a hat or throw darts at a list of names?" He grumbled and turned muttering to himself, "Or maybe a rummage sale."

It wasn't until he was at the door and knocking that Toshiro realized what had happened. Maybe his lazy lieutenant wasn't as dimwitted as she tried to project to others. The interlude had completely taken his mind off the strange case of nerves he had been afflicted with earlier.

"Well she's gotta be good for something, because it's sure not paperwork," he groused, but was secretly pleased and also thankful to Matsumoto, but wouldn't admit it out loud even under the threat of torture.

A few moments later he was at the end of a hall tapping on Kuchiki taicho's office door before sliding it open. Unexpectedly, he found Captain Kuchiki sitting at a coffee table and chairs set up in the corner rather than at his desk.

Seeing the question in Hitsugaya's eyes, Kuchiki motioned to the other chair across from him saying, "I thought this might be more conducive to a relaxed atmosphere since this isn't work related."

Hitsugaya drifted over and stared down at the table. It was simple but elegant fare as would be expected of someone of Kuchiki's noble position. Just as he was about to sit a piercing screech erupted, and in through the window came a speeding blur which flung itself around the room to bounce off the walls in a flurry of hyperactivity.

At three feet and seven inches the shortest lieutenant in the Thirteen Court Guards' manic enthusiasm filled the room in a pink and black whirlwind.

Hitsugaya was surprised to see Kuchiki stick out his hand with something in it even as he calmly sipped his tea with the other. The frenzy that was Yachiru Kusajishi came to an abrupt halt, snatched at the proffered hand and like a cannonball, shot out the window and was gone.

"Uh, that was…."

"I know, a complete pain in the ass, but I have learned that there are some forces of nature that can't be fought. It is easier to feed her and send her on her way. Thankfully, she rarely bothers me more than once a day. It's like feeding a bird, a small, very bouncy, over-stimulated bird."

Hitsugaya nodded. He didn't know what to say. Not so much because of Kusajishi fukutaicho's behavior but to hear that the child-lieutenant had brought Kuchiki to the point where the high and mighty noble actually swore. It was a rare novelty, but he didn't have time to dwell on that now. He had come here with a pressing matter on his mind and hoped Kuchiki could help him.

Once seated, Hitsugaya found himself tongue-tied. He wasn't sure how to broach the subject.

"Marriage."

The teacup slid from Hitsugaya's hands and only at the last second did he manage to keep it upright it and luckily none of the hot tea had spilled out of it.

"How…. How… did you know?"

Byakuya looked over the rim of his cup and studied his astounded fellow captain. Really. It didn't take a genius to figure this out. He was the only captain who had been married and it was obvious from the scuttlebutt (which he never listened to but couldn't help overhearing at times from his subordinates as he passed by) that Hitsugaya and his old friend were developing a relationship. Such as it was.

"It's rather apparent. A) Which captain in this room had never been in a relationship? B) Which captain in this room had intimate relationship with the fairer gender; as in physical, emotional, and spiritual knowledge in a marriage bond?"

"Kuchiki taicho…"

"Good. I can see why you are called a child-genius. But Hitsugaya, since we are not in a work situation, out of respect I will allow you to refer to me as Kuchiki, and I will assume I may do the same for you?"

Aqua eyes considered the shinigami captain opposite him. This was a first. "Yes, that would be fine with me." Then he took a deep breath and started with the first of his list of questions.

"This is awful, terrible, and beyond horrendous!"

This came from a voice behind two swinging, saloon-type doors on a dressing room.

"I have no figure; I'm figure-less! A zanpakutou in a sack! I'm ugly! That's it. I'm done, I'm going home!"

With that declaration, Isane Kotetsu burst through the changing room doors and made a beeline toward the front of the shop, the price tags on her clothes flapping in her wake.

"Why'd you stop me?!" Isane yelled at her sister who was shoving her back in to the changing rooms.

"To keep you from getting arrested you twit! You can't go storming off wearing merchandise you haven't paid for!"

Only muttering could be heard from the changing room but soon pieces of clothing sailed over the top of the doors which Kiyone easily snatched out of the air. In turn, she tossed them to Momo who carefully rehung them. Rangiku stood next her looking bored, her arms draped with more clothes she had grabbed off the racks and wanted Isane to try on.

"What? She's not going to try on any more outfits? Hmph, what am I going to do with all this then?"

"Rangiku! Don't dr…."

It was too late, but Momo grabbed the dropped clothes before they hit the floor and carefully placed them on a nearby chair before turning to give the long-haired woman a reproving look. Rangiku wasn't even looking. Momo rolled her eyes; typical Matsumoto.

"GET OUT HERE KOTETSU! (The tall one not the short one) And face me like a shopaholic!" Rangiku had both hands planted on her hips, and wore a frown ready to do battle. They had been shopping for hours and while Rangiku wasn't opposed to the length of shopping time, it was the fact that they had nothing to show for it that irked her. Isane couldn't or wouldn't settle on any single outfit that each one of them had her try on.

"Listen you! Get this through your purple, beaded head! YOU don't need to have _my_ figure, you have a great figure all of your own! Besides, even if you had my figure, you just don't have the attitude to flaunt what I got!" Flipping her hair back with a hand she went on, "And some men are intimidated by me and while I personally like that, it's not something that would work for you."

At this point Isane came out of the dressing room in her shihakushou, shoulders drooping and teary eyes locked on to Rangiku's face. With a sigh, she sat and slid down in a slump in the nearest chair.

"I'm ugly. I loom over everyone and I'm a gangly beanpole! I'm a gangly, looming, ugly beanpole who can't wear pretty clothes!" What had started out in a teary, shaking voice ended in a wail so that the words were almost lost admit the sobbing.

Quickly her friends and sister gathered around her, soothing, murmuring words of encouragement, and patting her when a sudden presence was felt by all and froze in their comforting before turning to the newcomer.

"Taicho!" Isane exclaimed as the others also make various sounds of surprise while eyes widened at the sight of the captain of Fourth Company standing calmly in their midst. As always, serenity flowed from her as she gave them an enigmatic smile as if she had been there with them all along.

"Unohana taicho!" Matsumoto gave a polite nod of her head, but with a twinkle in her eye, asked, "Which dress do you think Isane should get? She has tried them all on and she looks really great in all of them; especially this floaty, gauzy number." The Tenth's lieutenant held up the gauze skirt and sheer blouse combo she had picked out and had been urging Isane to buy.

"Taicho!"

An emotional Isane wailed even while trying to contain her emotions as she rose from the chair to greet her captain. She had so wanted to be like her captain but always failed at maintain that calm inner strength that her beloved taicho was able to radiate to others at all times.

Retsu floated rather than walked over to the women and fingered through the assorted collection over the chair and the few that Momo still held in her arms. All watched her with open curiosity and baited breath wondering what she would choose.

"Ah, Isane, I don't know why you are so worried. Of course you don't look like Matsumoto san, but you have your own innate beauty. You could easily be a model if you hadn't chosen to be a shinigami. You have a very slender, statuesque figure that many women would kill for, not to mention a figure with perfect proportions as well."

The Fourth's taicho studied the mound of clothing while searching through the different styles all three of Isane's friends had chosen for her. After pulling out a different blouse than the one Rangiku had chosen, but taking the skirt she liked, Unohana handed the outfit to Isane and made a slight nod toward the changing room. It was a barely noticeable but in another captain it would be tantamount to a wide sweeping gesture. Isane didn't say a word but grabbed the clothes and dashed back into the room. A few minutes later she came through the doors shyly, shoulders hunched over.

At the gushing comments of her friends Isane shyly glanced up before focusing on her feet again, cheeks blushing unsure if she should believe their opinions. That was when Unohana came over, laid a small hand on her fukutaicho's cheek and softly said, "You look lovely Isane-chan. And I know a certain someone will think so too."

Isane's clear blue-grey eyes lifted to her taicho's kind eyes although she was practically a head shorter, and timidly asked, "Do you really think so? I don't look frumpy?"

With a soft chuckle, Unohana did something she rarely did; she gave Isane a gentle and affectionate hug. "Of course you do. You are a very attractive young lady and I only wish you would believe the truth, that you are beautiful!

The others joined around the two vocally agreeing with Unohana's assertion as the truth.

"Thanks," Isane said bashfully, cheeks still tinged with red.

"All right then! One down and one to go!" Rangiku exclaimed punching the air with a raised fist.

"What are you talking about Matsumoto?" Kiyone asked, turning to study the Tenth's fukutaicho.

Tapping her chin with a finger and giving them a sly look, she informed them, "Isane is set for a date with Renji, now we have to get Momo an outfit too. I won't rest until my taicho and his main squeeze go out on their first date!"

"RANGIKU!"

"'Main squeeze'? What does that mean?" Isane tipped her head trying to puzzle out the phrase.

"Sounds like Momo's a tube of toothpaste," grinned Kiyone impishly.

"Well ladies, I believe I am needed back at the Fourth so I will leave you to your business."

"Captain, do you need me to come back too?"

Seeing the anxious look on her lieutenant's face, Unohana gave Isane a smile and gave her a small shake of the head before saying, "No, you go and have fun with your friends. Take the day off and frolic." Then in one blink, the famous captain of the Fourth was gone.

"You heard her ladies, she gave us an order to 'frolic'!"

"It wasn't an…" started Isane before being cut off by Kiyone's agreeing with Rangiku.

"Oh yeah, I heard it, you heard it, we all heard it. It means a license for fun!"

Breaking into the rising mood of merriment came, "Why do captains feel the need to do that?"

They turned to see Momo giving the empty space where Unohana have been standing an exasperated frown. "I hate it when captains sneak up on a body. One minute you're standing there alone and the next they scare the living reiatsu out of a person. It's not fair."

"Huh, probably why they do it. They usually have to conform to such strict expectations of propriety and decorum that they have to have something to look forward to, at some point in time, to have a little fun."

"Well, that's not entirely true, I heard that the former captain of the Fifth before Ai…" Kiyone came to an awkward halt as she noticed Isane's eyes going round while Rangiku gave a sharp nod of her nod to the side to indicate Momo… "Er, somebody at a certain time in the past was quite improper. Oh hell."

Momo glanced at everyone before saying, "Oh stop. I am not going to collapse at any little mention of Aizen the rat bastard! So don't feel like you need to avoid mentioning his name all the time." She placed hands on hips and huffed at them with a small frown forming, "Really. You guys must think I'm made of porcelain!"

Kiyone giggled, pointing at Momo, "Momo said 'rat bastard', now _that's_ funny!"

"Okay girls; let's not lose our momentum here. We have a lot of work to do yet before Momo can go out on her date; which I have yet to manipulate Hitsugaya taicho into making but it will be easy because you know he wants to take out his lovely Momo-chan out for a splendid dinner for two, and we only have a few prime shopping hours left. So what do you say, who's with me!?"

For the most part the replies were affirmative even if one was a protesting squawk from Momo.

* * *

Thanks for hanging in there.

-_Dwellin_


	22. The Comfort of Friends

Author's Note: I have no idea of Retsu Unohana's background. Is she noble, did she rise from poverty, or middleclass? Not a clue so I just winged it and made it up as I went along.

Just an aside: I happened to catch episodes 324-326. I noticed that when they had Toshiro and Momo standing next to each other they were the same height. Glad to see they have him more teen than child now.

Dwellin is not Tite Kubo; to him belongeth the Bleachness that is.

This chapter is dedicated to Icyangel27. She got me writing again.

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**The Comfort of Friends**

**Intimate Dinner for Two**

"Such a pleasure it is Captain Kuchiki, that we are able to spend time getting to know one another a little better."

Retsu was gazing across the round table at her dinner companion who was sitting straight enough to make her own spine twinge in sympathy, before letting her eyes drop back to the menu she was holding.

The tables that the patrons of the dining establishment were seated at were absurdly small but apparently that was the dining fashion of late, the quintessence of an intimate rendezvous.

_This table is not much bigger than a serving tray! _Retsu noted with a slight sigh._ If we were any closer our chairs would be on top of each other!_

Upon that thought, her dark eyes lowered to the sight of the squat red globe in the center. Merrily dancing within was the requisite lit candle flame which shone all the brighter in the darkened restaurant which catered only to the most noble of the aristocratic set.

Casting her gaze about, it appeared to Unohana to be, basically, a small room boasting only ten tables and so far, they were one of three couples in the whole place. Just the menu in her hand must have cost a small fortune as it was made from the pages of the highest quality of vellum with back and front an expensive imported wood trimmed in black velvet and gold leaf. If Retsu wasn't the type to wash her hands frequently (a must in her line of work) she would be worried about leaving skin oils to mar the beauty of the fabric and wood.

It was just _that_ exclusive mused Retsu as she once again considered the candle flame as it swayed back and forth, causing the red glass to cast a pinkish hue all around them. Lifting her dark eyes, she studied her companion's face. Under the light cast from the candle, Kuchiki's skin was glowing with a warmish ruddy hue that was unusual for his normal aristocratic pale. She swallowed another sigh that wanted to form. Watching the Sixth's taicho still sitting so painfully rigid made it hard to fight down the healer's impulse to lean over and offer suggestions on now to loosen up even a little, mainly so that _she_ could relax. After all, the reason the dinner offer was accepted in the first place was for her to unwind and indulge in a little friendly banter with a fellow co-captain.

Her calm and placid gaze took in his straight form, clenched hands, tight face, knowing this evening couldn't be easy for him. Retsu doubted he had been on a date or out to dinner in ages, certainly not after Hisana had died, and who knew how long before they were married?

Earlier, upon seeing Byakuya entering the restaurant and halt by the door, hesitating there until his eyes had adjusted to the darkened room and found the table she was sitting at before joining her there; she had taken note of the unusually tense air surrounding the normally restrained, disciplined man.

After the formal greeting of one noble addressing another; which was quite courteous of him since Retsu was not a descendent of royal blood, Retsu gestured with a graceful hand toward the chair opposite her and the heir of the Kuchiki clan seated himself with the icy dignity and the poise that he was so known for.

Once allowing time for greetings exchanged to finish, a waiter appeared at Byakuya's elbow as if out of thin air, and quietly laid down two menus before departing just as silently.

Retsu let her eyes lower back to the dishes, all written in a language she did not know but what was painstakingly obvious was there were no prices listed anywhere. A dainty frown slightly creased her brow; she had inspected the menu twice now and was not finding anything written she could understand. _The food listed is indecipherable and evidently priceless. For all I know I could be ordering deep-fried snail lips and frog toes_. This was definitely not the type of place she usually frequented.

Looking over the top of his menu, the head of Kuchiki clan said in a calm modulated tone, "Unohana taicho, I must say that you are looking extremely lovely tonight. But then you always do. I notice you have chosen to wear your braid down you back tonight instead of the usual way you wear it. And you look exquisite in that dark purple cloak and sash; that is a change for you! This is quite an honor."

"As if I was going to wear my captain's hoari to a dinner meeting."

An elegant eyebrow raised, "A dinner _meeting_? I thought this was a date."

Retsu chuckled gently, tickled by Byakuya's sense of humor, or lack thereof.

Thinking it best to put everything on the table (if it would fit which was doubtful), "Byakuya, we are comrades and co-captains, but we are not well-suited to be married to one another and I believe you know this. We are also both aware that this is an inspection of sorts to see if I am suitable material to your exacting elders. "

"Speak of exacting. What I _believe_ is that you are being rather inflexible at the moment. And also, you bring all this up before we have even ordered. I would accuse you of being uncouth, but I know that is the last thing Unohana taicho could be. Ah, but would it have hurt for you to spare me, at least until dessert was served?"

"Nonsense Byakuya, we are comrades and should not lie to each other. I did not want there to be any misunderstanding between us." A twinkle appeared in her eye and she watched as his lids lowered and he studied her with some suspicion.

His mouth opened to respond but paused when the waiter appeared at his elbow, pad and pen in hand with eyebrows raised in question. Retsu wasn't offended when Byakuya ordered for her in fact she was relieved, and also very grateful when he explained what it was he was ordering for the two of them. Besides it was rather touching to be treated with such chivalrous and old-fashioned manners, she thought, as she passed him her menu to hand to the waiter.

Once the waiter vanished Byakuya turned his attention back to his dinner companion only to find her smiling softly at him before she offered, "But really my dear Byakuya, if you feel you _must_ be wed to a captain, you could always date Soi Fon taicho. I am sure the two of you are well-suited to one another." Long lashes lowered to cover the mirth dancing in her eyes. "Indeed, you two are practically made for each other— like flower petals and bees."

Silence stretched long enough for the braided captain to wonder if she had played that hand wrong. When she heard a small exhalation of breath, the healer returned her gaze to her fellow captain's face.

Byakuya made to open his mouth in reply but again was preempted by the arrival of their dinner. Retsu was surprised. It was like they had been expecting the order, but decided she didn't care for she hadn't realized she was quite so hungry until this moment. The mouth-watering smell was heavenly causing her stomach to rumble in anticipation. She couldn't wait to start eating.

Once their dishes were placed in front of them and the waiter had ghosted away, leaving the table to their private conversation as if he had never been there, Byakuya and Retsu, as if on cue, spoke their thanksgiving and immediately cast appreciative eyes upon their meal while unrolling silverware and chopsticks, both choosing the chopsticks.

After a few bites, Retsu looked up to find the corners of her black-haired date's mouth tipped upward in acknowledgment of her last remark. "I noticed you used that word again, _well-suited_. And Soi Fon, yes that is quite the jest. Very amusing. Quite the witty sense of humor you have Retsu-chan. But come, what are you really trying to say?"

For a second time Retsu chuckled, and then replied with, "Let's eat first and I will tell you when dessert is served," her eyes crinkling in laughter when he huffed and his eyes slid off to the side in what she took to being the equivalent of a Kuchiki pout. Typical noble.

All in all, the evening was fairly tame, but that was what she had been craving of late. Taking care of the sick, the wounded, and to be quite honest, hypochondriacs and the incessantly whiny, well, even _she_ needed break from the pressures of work. Later, after delicately blotting her lips with the silk napkin, (really, silk for a napkin, how impractical) Retsu watched as Kuchiki signaled for the dessert menu. Retsu gave it a cursory glance. It was written in the same language as the menu so she placed it in front of her, hoping that Kuchiki nobles liked ordinary desserts. She wasn't in the mood for something exotic tonight and was quite relieved when it didn't take him long to decide. Once their dishes were cleared, their waiter took their order and left quickly.

Retsu leaned forward a bit, "I wonder if he is mute? And he certainly is more of a 'quicker' than a 'waiter' don't you think?" There was a pause as she waited for the result she sought. Laughing gently, she scolded, "And don't you roll your eyes at me, Byakuya Kuchiki taicho!"

Leaning forward to indulge his fellow captain, Byakuya remarked matter-of-factly, "They are trained to be quick, silent, and efficient. They only speak if a patron directly asks them a question."

Both leaned back in their chairs, and a bare hint of a smile tipped the corners of his lips as he then commented, "And a "quicker", very bad pun Retsu, horrible in fact."

"Ah well," said Unohana, faking sadness, "I guess I am more known for my healing abilities and not my ability to make puns."

Retsu was thankful to see that there was a glint in his eyes that hadn't been there at the beginning of the evening, really, that was what she had been hoping to see, a little crack in the aristocratic facade. She wasn't one of those people who had the ability to make people laugh, she didn't have that sort of humor, but tonight, she tried her hand at it if only to help change his mood. The pun was a failure, but the attempt seemed to have worked.

They sat for a moment, both comfortable in the hush that descended over their table. Neither was the type that felt the need to fill silence with empty, meaningless chatter.

Finally, Byakuya asked, "I do admit to being curious Retsu chan, what is it that you find so incompatible about me?"

Retsu tipped her head and laughed quietly, "Silly noble. It's quite simple really. You do not love me Byakuya _chan_."

He stared back at her for a moment as if assessing her, before saying, "You can be so direct for one so calmly demure at all times."

"I am a healer Byakuya. Sometimes I must make an incision to cure a wound. To be blunt, it has been years since Hisana's death. Your House and Clan are worried about future Kuchiki heirs, meaning that they want to see some running around the mansion. You have been in the habit of grieving for decades now and it is time to move on, don't you think?"

Byakuya held her steady look with one of his own. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. By the first zanpakutou, the man was absolutely gorgeous! Why didn't he smile more often, it totally changed his countenance! Why he would have unending flocks of fan girls follo… Oh, that's why.

"I was hoping I could hold off the Kuchiki elders for a few more years and not have to rush into a marriage that would be unharmonious for either party." He eyed her for a beat before continuing, "I was hoping I could talk you into being my fake fiancé` for a while at least."

"Oh, what a deliciously unique and wonderful idea… _IF_ this were a shoujo manga!"

His black eyes widened.

"And why theincredulous look Byakuya? Of course I know about them, after all I have been following Hinamori fukutaicho's work in the Seireitei Bulletin for quite a while now and I am quite the fan."

Retsu was surprised once again as Byakuya chuckled quietly and she couldn't help responding in kind. It was becoming easy to see what this, usually, coldly aloof man hid beneath the icy exterior that Hisana must have discovered and been drawn to.

Given the size of the table, it was an easy matter for Retsu to reach across the space and gently place her hand on his. Smiling she told him, "You are not a hypocrite Byakuya. For you, a marriage must be the real thing if you are to be happily wed or even wed at all. You must find someone to love and who will truly love you in return. Marriage for the sake of the clan, money, and looks will only end in misery for you and for whoever it is that is chosen."

"And that's why I need your help." His face paled, suddenly looking panic-stricken. "They are constantly ambushing me in the halls of my own manor, following me around from room to room hounding me with questions on whether I have found anyone suitable yet or not. Sometimes I think they don't care what kind of woman I find. They just want some willing broodmare with wide birthing hips to squirt out an heir every year!"

Wasn't he just adorable? A small smile twitched on her lips as she patted his hand a few times before remarking, "And you thought of me first. I'm so flattered!"

Realization dawned and the heir of the Kuchiki clan's eyes went wide, aghast, already sucking in air to make quick amends but Retsu held up a palm and laughed, "Do not worry, I am not in the least offended Byakuya. I know you are not yourself right now. But at least the deadline is still some time away! I expect they are harassing you because they know your tendency to procrastinate when it comes to your own happiness."

The captain of the Sixth equally gentle, slipped his hand out from under hers, and crossed his arms, backbone becoming even more rigid and straight than before, if that was possible and icily replied, "They have good reason to worry. Do you know how long it took me to find someone like Hisana? Someone not overawed by my station, my rank, and looks? She saw me, the true me inside that no one sees and _that_ was who she fell in love with and loved." A shadow of sorrow crossed his face before Byakuya made an effort to ease the tension from his shoulders. "She made me a better man than I am."

Unohana leaned back with a sigh. What an admission. Even after so many years, he was still hopelessly, deeply in love with his dead wife. The absolute right person would have to come along and comfort that still unclosed wound. She hoped it would be soon, and then tuned back in to what Kuchiki was muttering under his breath.

"Those old fools. They don't know what they are asking of me."

She was pretty sure they did.

"All they can think about is the honor of the Kuchiki name."

Like someone else sitting at the table.

"They forget who it is that leads the Clan!"

Odds were they hadn't.

"I refuse to lower myself to their demands!"

Had he ever bowed that rigid Kuchiki pride to anyone?

"Overbearing snobs!"

There was the zanpakutou calling the katana sharp. This whole 'acquire-a-wife' demand from the elders must be getting to him; she had never seen Byakuya react in such a snit before.

"I would rather take an Espada female to wife than to give them the satisfaction of picking some high and mighty, dull, boring, noble woman for me!"

Unohana sighed. Hisana had set a high standard for any woman to follow. But it _would_ be interesting to see Byakuya courting an Espada female and she allowed herself a bit of a fantasy for just a moment… Maybe when they won the war, took some Espada females prisoner, she could arrange an introduction. She allowed a small grin to show. It was amusing to consider, but it fell in the realm of "never gonna happen".

"Retsu… Am I boring you with this melodramatic quagmire I seem to have found myself embroiled in?"

The composed healer turned her smile towards her dinner companion and said, "My apologies Byakuya, I drifted off thinking about you just said." Retsu swallowed the chuckles that wanted come out, "It might be workable, but I doubt Espada females would ever think of hosting tea parties or attending flower-arranging classes, in short, they seem to lack a tender side from all accounts I have read."

"True," then the realization of what she meant crossed his face.

The captain of the Fourth did her best to keep her amusement firmly under control but finally gave in and let the soft laughter that had been building up to come rolling out of her in gentle waves. She was surprised to see a tolerant grin on her companion's face in response as he watched until her small giggles slowly dissipated and faded away.

Leaning forward, Byakuya insisted, "Please let me clarify: I didn't really mean that I wanted to _marry_ one of them. That would be ludicrous. I'll just have to search the Seireitei with a little more diligence. There must be an answer to this mess!" The slender man leaned back in his chair, fingers wrapped around his chin as he mused, "I wonder if I should consider the living world. Although highly unusual, it has been known to happen."

It was obvious Byakuya was getting lost in his own drama and it was about time to help him think about something or someone else besides his own situation for a change. "Well, have you given any thought to the most current fukutaicho courtship?"

"Which one would that be?" His eyebrows raised, "Surely no one I would be interested in hearing about, especially as I am not a gossip nor lower myself to that level." Besides, at the moment, Byakuya was dubious as to what could be more pressing, important, or even more interesting than his own dilemma.

"Isane and Renji."

That did it. Without changing his posture, Retsu could tell the change in his demeanor that he was all ears; even though he tried hard to look like the matter didn't interest him in the least.

"I heartily approve of them as a couple, and I am sure it will progress past mere dating to a deep, and abiding relationship, and then, no doubt, marriage," Retsu said as she picked up the goblet of water in front of her and took a sip before speaking again. "I think they would be perfect for each other and I was hoping that you would also approve of the two of them and give them your support. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

For the first time that evening, Byakuya leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table; unfortunately that was the same time that their waiter brought their dessert. He leaned back to allow the waiter space to put down the bowls in front of them. Both glanced back and forth between their ice cream and chopsticks before reaching for their spoons. (Retsu rejoiced to see something familiar and that she loved for dessert. Her opinion of Byakuya skyrocketed.)

As the two ate, The Sixth's captain thought about Unohana's question. Upon finishing, he composed his thoughts while placing his spoon in the empty bowl. He paused and leaned back before replying, "As long as he doesn't drift into the room like he is floating on clouds, or draw hearts with both of their initials on his reports, or longingly gaze off into the distance and sigh her name all day, then I find nothing wrong with their association. He has my unofficial or official approval to date Isane Kotetsu. There. Is that what you wanted to hear, my dear Retsu chan?"

"Wait. Who draws hearts on…. Oh! I think I know." That had to be Matsumoto, who was not above embellishing her reports with little designs, faces, or whatnot if she was of a mind to.

Just then the waiter returned with a platter with a pot of tea and two saucers. The captain of the Sixth nodded graciously and both occupants waited in silence while the waiter was finished serving them.

Byakuya waited until the waiter was far enough away from the table that they wouldn't be overheard and said, "Quite frankly, and for the record, I really do not care whom my people have relationships with, as long as they do their work in a timely fashion, are responsible, and it does not cause problems for the Thirteen Court Guard Companies," he picked up his cup and sipped the tea. It was exquisitely flavored, as it should have been. The rare leaves were beyond the cost most commoners could afford, which was as it should be.

The cup clinked on the saucer as he set it down on the table, then glancing up at the healer; the corners of Byakuya's mouth appeared to twitch at the corners as if he was fighting it, and finally, he gave in and let them turn up in a genuine smile.

_He's smiling! It's a real smile!_ Unohana was entranced again while fighting to hide the surprise she felt upon seeing such an honest emotion. This was the second occasion but this time it was a without-any-holds-barred genuine smile. Before tonight Retsu had never seen the Kuchiki heir actually smile. Then she wondered if the last time he had even laughed was before Hisana had died. Her eyes twinkling, she returned his with a big smile of her own, she couldn't help herself, this was an historic moment!

Upon finishing their dessert and now tea, they carefully laid their napkins down and Kuchiki rose and went around the table to hold the chair and give his counterpart a hand up. Smiling in thanks, Unohana allowed herself to be raised to her feet.

"Would you allow me to walk you home Retsu?" he asked, obsidian eyes resting on her, waiting patiently for her reply.

"I would be delighted Byakuya, I find your company very restful and agreeable."

With that they turned to walk out, when Unohana stopped short and started to turn back, "Oh, I forgot to leave a …"

"Please do not concern yourself; I invited you out so this is all being taken care of already by the Kuchiki Clan."

"Ah, so good to know. And thank you for the dinner, it was delicious and the company was enjoyable as well as charming."

Kuchiki gave a nod as he peered down at his co-captain's dark head and held the door open for her. The two captains walked out the door, Unohana paused to wait until Kuchiki fell into step with her.

"Oh, and next time Byakuya, I know where we can get the best sushi in the whole Seireitei, and all while being seated at a _real_ table."

"What was wrong with our table?"

Then the two started down the sidewalk illuminated by the hanging streetlamps, two dark heads inclined toward each other while speaking in the hushed cordial tones of two old friends enjoying one another's company.

The last thing heard before the two were swallowed up in the night was a teasing voice asking, "Have you ever heard the old adage that says, 'Size matters'?"

* * *

**That Which was Whispered**

Waking up hurt. There was no other way to describe it. That was what she hated most about going to sleep; the whole waking up process was just downright painful. What she wouldn't give to be one of those people who could just pop wide awake at a moment's notice. But no, not her, this business called for every single cell in her whole body to sluggishly rise to consciousness in an as excruciating manner as was physically possible.

Slowly light gray eyes cracked open and recognized her surroundings; home. Gradually, awareness gained ascendancy. It wasn't fun. Finally surrendering to the inevitable, the dazed woman pulled up and propped herself on an elbow while knuckling an eye socket.

In the waning light, the ruffling curtains caught her eye and she remembered cracking the window earlier in the afternoon to get some air flow through the house. Definitely home. With a sigh, the voluptuous lieutenant slowly sat up and gazed around fighting off the last fading remnants of fogged slumber.

Oh yes, it was coming back to her. She had only meant to take a catnap on the couch before dinner, but instead must have fallen into a deep asleep. With the nightmares she had been having lately it was just easier to doze there for a short periods of time in order to avoid them. Much of the time she had been getting up and either drinking in order to sleep through dreams, (not a recommended way to deal with unwanted and disturbing dreams), or just making a very strong pot of coffee to keep her up the rest of the night thereby avoiding nightmare-infested sleep altogether.

Swinging shapely legs around (not that anyone ever got to see them under her hakama) Rangiku leaned back on the couch cushions and began rubbing the sleep from the other eye. While doing so the ginger-haired woman tried to decide which of the two options to choose for that night: coffee or sake`.

Casting a glance over at the clock, the glowing numbers told her that even though it was dusk was falling it was still too early to start with either plan. With a wince, she reached over to turn on the lamp. Light banished the dimness and flooded the room but also making her squint and blink as bleary eyes adjusted little by little to the brightness. Damn. She had hoped a full day of running around shopping with the girls would have tired her out so she could pass out and have a nightmare-free sleep. No such luck. It was already shaping up to be a bad night.

A hesitant knock came at the door interrupting her spiraling thoughts. From the reiatsu she knew instantly who it was.

"Come in Momo!"

"Sorry to intrude Rangiku but I needed to talk to you." Momo entered and then slid the door shut behind her, then eyed her friend's tangled hair, rumpled shihakushou, and muddled expression with concern.

"Uhm, are you up for a visit? I'll leave if you need to sleep."

The Tenth's fukutaicho waved her hand in the air negligently, "Come in, come in; I just woke up from a nap so I am kind of dazed still. You're in time; I was just going to make some coffee."

"Coffee? This time of night? It's only eight you know."

Rangiku shot a quick glance at the clock again even though she had just checked it. It proved Momo to be correct. True, it wasn't the best time to start drinking a liquid known to jolt a body into an alert state against its will and make it stay that way through the wee hours of the night. But Matsumoto was not one for doing the rational thing for the sake of being rational.

"Bring it on. I haven't met a mug yet that could defeat me!"

"Uh, sure, but is it okay if I make some tea for myself instead?"

"Help yourself." With that, Rangiku stretched and gave a wide, jaw-popping yawn before standing up, placed both hands on the small of her back and stretched out her impressive torso, working out the kinks. The first steps were wobbly but it didn't take her long to regain her balance and move toward the kitchen although Momo had already beaten her there and had placed a large pot of water on to boil.

As they were waiting, Rangiku began to notice, even in her slowly awakening state, that Momo was shifting from foot to foot, twisting her fingers around and around, and darting glances off to the side under lowered lids.

Rangiku started to stifle the huge yawn forming then decided against it, instead letting it out to the point of her jaw joint cracking. That felt good. Fluffing her mane of glorious hair she kept an eye on her friend's nervous behavior. The finger-twisting, lip biting, and shifting back from one foot to the other were pretty obvious clues.

Rangiku leaned an arm on the counter to prop herself up and in a sleep-hoarsened voice asked, "Okay Momo, what's eating you? Wait, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that it must be something that you think I need to know _but_ aren't sure how I will react to hearing the news."

Momo froze in place as her eyes locked on her friend's face. Then came the stuttering, oh this was no good at all! Now that she was here, with Rangiku, she was worried about the promise she had made. A promise she had made in the heat of the moment when it appeared she may not make it back home, a promise not made out of wisdom but out of relief that she would be allowed to return to Soul Society.

Still, Momo Hinamori had given her word and she was not one to go back on it once given.

"Uhm, Rangiku—"

"There, sthat wasn't so hard was it?"

"Oh Rangiku, you are not making this easy!" Momo stomped her foot and then cringed. Darnit! She was trying so hard to break that habit. She straightened to her full height even though she was still a good deal shorter than Matsumoto. "I need to tell you something that may upset you!"

Rangiku allowed herself a little smirk to show. Had she called that one right or what? Then she let one slender eyebrow rise in disdain. "Momo, no one can **make** me get upset! And contrary to popular belief, rarely do I _get_ upset; I am exceedingly easy-going, and even-tempered, just ask anyone!" Rangiku then waved a hand in a "give it to me" motion.

Momo tilted her head a bit, giving her friend a dubious look. When roused, Rangiku was quite impressive in her snits and it was best to stay out of her way until the gale force of hurricane "Matsumoto" had blown itself out. It was fortunate that the Tenth's fukutaicho was as lazy as she was, for rarely were the outbursts of any lengthy duration, to the relief of all those around her.

"Okay then," hesitant still, Momo took a deep breath before charging on, "Well, you know I've been in Hueco Mundo right?"

Upon seeing the bored expression on Rangiku's face and one of her hands spinning in an obvious "get to the point" gesture, Momo nervously sputtered out, "Well, uhmm, here's the funny part. Ha, ha. I, uh, met _someone_ there. You know, _someone_, you may never guess who, but I think you might, heh, I'm sure you'll find this funny as I do ha, ha… so, uh guess who I met there?"

"MOMO! Just spit it out!"

Momo studied her friend for a moment and then leaned her head one way and then another, popping the joints in her neck. After that, she set her cup down and turned back to face Rangiku head on. Both women could tell the atmosphere in the room had changed, mainly because Momo had changed. She was no longer the shoulder-hunching rabid Aizen-worshipper she had been in the past. Momo was becoming her own woman. No, scratch that. Momo was her own woman now.

However, something important needed to be shared and there was no doubt it could be painful, yet the shorter woman wasn't shirking the responsibility, nor was she shrinking back afraid of the outcome. The true shinigami mettle was beginning to make itself felt after all this time.

Rangiku smiled and pushed herself off the counter, straightening with a wry smile. "I see. Let's start over. So Momo, what it is that you need to tell me?"

Momo started at the beginning and told her friend all that had happened to her in Hueco Mundo. Most of the time Rangiku stood in a relaxed posture, nodding every now and then at certain points, eyebrows raised at others, her estimation of the once-timid Fifth's fukutaicho rising with as the story progressed. Then, Momo got to the part she knew was going to be difficult and watched as her fellow lieutenant stiffened at the mention of _his_ name.

Momo decided it would be wise to take a few steps back and keep a respectable distance between them just in case she needed to shunpo it out of there when Mount St. Matsumoto erupted. Everyone knew she didn't suffer even the mere mention of _his_ name being spoken in her presence.

Unexpectedly though, Rangiku had been silent and also hadn't moved a muscle since _he _hadshown up in the course of the story. Her face was an expressionless mask as Momo finally came to the last part of the tale about her promise to carry a message back to the vice-captain of the Tenth.

Momo closed her eyes (strangely enough, to Momo it helped her not to intrude in on Rangiku's privacy) and recited:

"Ran Chan, you once told me that each time after I left you used to stare at my footprints, but you need to know that I was never walking away from you in my heart."

For such a short message, Momo felt the intimacy of it; most likely because of the way Gin Ichimaru had leaned over her to whisper it in her ear.

Still, it made her a little nervous to be sharing it like this, especially when Momo was unsure of the reaction it would generate in her rather volatile friend. She opened one eye to look at the Tenth's fukutaicho. Absolutely immobile, as if she were a statue carved in stone.

Momo opened the other eye. The result was the same. Maybe _he_ didn't mean as much to the Tenth's vice-captain as everyone had originally thought.

Even so, this was a pleasant reaction than she had expected, or rather, a _non_-reaction. Rangiku probably just needed some time to sort out her feelings. Yes, that was probably it.

During the silence that was stretching between them, Momo stared at her fingers as she twined and untwined them around each other again while waiting. Maybe this was the best time to take her leave so Rangiku could deal with her grief, anger, sorrow, or whatever. Who knew what kind of complicated emotions that might be rising to the surface; yes, these kinds of things could very well take a great deal of time to process through, days, or weeks even.

"I'll kill him."

Or not.

Still, that wasn't so bad. Rangiku sounded unruffled, tranquil even, in fact quite calm consid—

Then a furious blast of reiatsu detonated in front of her and Momo tripped over her feet while at the same time grabbing at the counter to keep from falling over backwards.

"I SWEAR BY ALL THAT'S HOLY AND UNHOLY, WHEN I FIND THAT RAT-BASTARD I'LL '_HAINEKIO__'_ THE SKIN RIGHT OFF HIM!"

Now **that** was closer to what Momo had been expecting. She clutched the kitchen island counter to keep her balance as she was having difficulty staying on her feet from the spirit pressure her friend was releasing in sudden and powerful bursts.

"I'LL TEAR OUT HIS INNARDS WITH MY BARE HANDS, SET THEM ON FIRE, AND THEN DANCE ON THE ASHES WHILE HOWLING WITH LAUGHTER!"

_Okay, now that's somewhat disquieting_ thought Momo and then another blast of Rangiku's spirit power burst out along with curses promising _him_ all kinds of pain, torture, mutilation, and every disease known and unknown through the ages.

"HE WILL THINK DEATH A BLESSING!"

_Starting to get a little scary in here,_ noted Momo with a wince.

Rangiku turned toward Momo with vivid flames shooting from her eyes until Momo blinked and the vision passed. All Momo could do was lock her wide eyes on Rangiku's contorted face, wondering where this was going to lead to. Passing on the message was beginning to look like an error on her part. Yes, a potentially _unhealthy_ error on her part.

All of a sudden, surprising Momo, the spiritual pressure sank to normal as Rangiku ceased shouting and her whole body sagged in place while slowly. Momo, braced, expecting another wave of anger, but instead, heard a low sound of raw pain clawing up out of her friend's throat.

"How… dare he— Momo, How… could he— How am I— How… How…"

Then the lieutenant covered her face, weeping wildly as she stumbled to the couch. She stood there a moment, tears beginning to course out from under her fingers and run down to drip off the edge of her face. Momo was frozen again, this time with indecision. What should she do? Call for Unohana? No, _Momo_ was the one who was here and her friend needed her.

Rangiku swayed and then slumped over before collapsing across the cushions sobbing as if all the agony in the world were pouring out of her. Her shoulders shook from the force of her heart-wrenching wails punctuated by gulping breaths for air.

Momo stared for a moment, shocked at seeing her friend dissolving into sharp, keening cries before snapping into action. She rushed around the couch and kneeled next to her sobbing friend. Once there, the younger woman wrapped her arms around shaking shoulders. Laying her cheek on Rangiku's back her own tears began falling as she tried to find comforting words to say, but everything she thought of sounded too hollow and trite.

"Oh Rangiku! I'm so s… s… sorry! I w w wouldn't have s… s… s… said anything i..i..if I knew it would hurt y… y… you sooooo! Th… that s..stupid I…ichi.. maru!"

In a flash Rangiku sat up and flung her arms around Momo and the two women hugged each other, wailing on one another's shoulders.

The two wept together for only a moment before it died down to hiccupping and sniffling.

"There, there Momo. It's okay now, it's okay. It'll be alright Momo, you'll see," Rangiku sniffled reassuringly while patting the smaller woman on the back. Comforting others helped her deal with her own pain and right now, she wanted nothing more than to forget _him_ and that this little event had ever happened. She hated crying, it always left her face red and blotchy looking. Another sin to add to Ichimaru's ever-increasing pile!

Slowly, the two sat up, simultaneously reaching for tissues and handing them to each other. Little hiccupping sobs laced their efforts to catch their breath, but at least now they were smiling and patting each other as two friends do when a moment of deep sorrow had been shared between them.

"Let's, not tell anyone about this, shall we?" Rangiku was amazed she was able to get that out without her voice quavering and lifted the tissue to her nose, which was going to be an unsightly red after all this crying.

"No, let's not," Momo agreed with a weak smile, "I'm trying to change my image from someone who weeps all the time to that of an action hero."

Rangiku stopped right in the middle of blowing her nose and stared across her fingers at her friend. "Hfff?" She responded then lowered the tissue to state, "What I mean to say is, 'huh'?"

"You know, like caped crusaders and like that guy who wears a fedora and carries a bullwhip. I think I am capable of pulling it off if I just get more practice at it."

Rangiku stared.

"Of course, I'm not going to be web-slinging around the Seireitei or anything like that! I mean, I'm not crazy! But, I do think I have a certain natural quality for being a masked hero; you know, like the type that goes stealthily under the cover of darkness to do good deeds and bring lawbreakers to justice."

Rangiku stared some more.

Momo began to twitch under her friend's unblinking, and quite frankly insulting, wide-eyed and incredulous gaze.

"Well you know I bet a lot of people would be surprised to find that I can be quite formidable and even scary if I put my mind to it!" Momo explained.

Rangiku finally snorted out, "You? Scary?"

"Yes! I can be scary!"

"No you can't."

"Yes I can! Quite scary."

"When?"

"Anytime I want!"

"You're delusional!"

"Rangiku! What a thing to say! You should be supporting me and saying things like: 'Oh Hinamori fukutaicho, you are ever-so-scary, please tone it down a bit or you'll have me plastered to the floor from the mighty outpouring of your power and—'"

Rangiku started laughing.

It wasn't polite laughter either, nowhere near; rather, it was head back thrown back as the mirth rolled and gushed out of her in waves. To add insult to injury, she was also _pointing_ and laughing at the same time!

"Hey! You'd be surprised to find…"

"To find what!" spurted out Rangiku between the gales, shoulders shaking as she pounded her thigh.

"So rude!"

"Momo," said the buxom woman wiping the tears from her eyes and finally calming down enough to talk coherently, "you don't have to be an action hero, and besides why would you want to pattern yourself on someone who's not real? You do know those heroes are all just make-believe, right?"

Okay, that made the whole idea on which she had based her entire plan on from the very beginning just sound stupid. "Gee, it's that after such a long time of being, well, like me," here she gestured at herself, "I came to the conclusion that I need to be someone stronger, faster, powerful, and smarter." She gave her friend a rueful glance, "I'm really having trouble with that last one."

Immediately Rangiku reached over, grabbed her friend in a robust hug while chuckling, "You little fluff head! You are great at what you do, you are one of the best friends I have, you are also one of the best fukutaicho's, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with you as you are, daft girl! Just be yourself!"

"GRK!" was all Momo could reply as the air was squeezed from her lungs.

"Oh, sorry." Rangiku released Momo and they both chuckled together.

It was then that a terrifying loud crash broke the quiet tableau, startling both women into shrieking as a yell filled the room**: "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE!" **

Immediately following the shout a wintery frost spread across windows and feathered along the ceiling while snowflakes began swirling about the room.

Startled into action, both women threw their arms around each other and clung on as if their lives depended upon it as they stared at the newcomer standing crouched just inside the door that had been blasted off its track.

"_MATSUMOTO!_ _MOMO!_ Answer me! Are you under attack? Are you hurt?"

Both could only stare, mouths agape, still sniffing while the Tenth's young captain glared, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of hostile forces.

Satisfied that his initial scan didn't turn up anything or anyone threatening, his glittering dark aqua eyes came back to rest on the two most important people in his life, and seeing the traces of tear tracks on their faces and the puffy eyes, his heart painfully squeezed in his chest prompting him to point out, "You both look like hell. Now, did someone attack you or not?"

Again, Hitsugaya searched the room intently looking for any sign of danger or intruders. This gave the two women on the couch the needed time to regain their composure while reaching for tissues to finish blowing their noses and wipe away the tears, even if they couldn't entirely stop sniffing or hiccupping.

Through her own sniffles, Momo tried and failed to form the question both women wanted to ask, but Rangiku was at last able to choke out, "What are you doing here taicho?" Then she gaped, there was her door on the floor, several feet from the entrance. So that was what the loud bang had been! She pointed, and cried out, "And, what the hell did you do to my door!"

He stared at her in disbelief, then swept his arm in a broad gesture, the wide sleeve cutting through the air as he snarled out, "The question should be, 'Why isn't _every_ soul reaper in the Seireitei here?' especially with that display of reiatsu erupting like that! I was on the other side of the Seireitei and felt you both and came as soon as I could get away from the meeting."

Dumbfounded, Rangiku dropped her arm and turned to look at Momo who was looking just as astonished. They looked at each other, then back to Hitsugaya, and it was then they finally noticing that Hyourinmaru out and the male shinigami was still in an alert stance, waves of menace pouring off him, poised to attack if need be which meant the air in the room was getting even nippier with each passing moment. Not only that, they were able to see their breath as it puffed from their mouths and it wasn't from the fact that the door had been blown off its runner.

"S..s..s..Shiro ch.. chan, it's g..getting c..cold," Momo managed out through chattering teeth.

"Huh? Oh." The room immediately began warming up again as the silver-haired captain relaxed and sheathed his zanpakutou bringing his own spiritual power back down to normal levels. "That better?" He waited impatiently as both women nodded. "Right then, but I still want to know what was going on! I left this evening's strategy meeting, not that those old men will miss me," he ended up mumbling as his eyes roamed about the room.

"We were," Rangiku started but Momo could tell she didn't want to confess exactly what it was that had set her off so the bun-wearing girl interrupted her.

"We were talking about… movies."

"Movies? _Movies!_ " His huge eyes pinned them both with a laser-glare, "You mean those things that Abarai is addicted to?"

"Yes," piped up Rangiku, even if her eyes were puffy and there were tearstain tracks down her face she gave Hitsugaya her most innocent look. It only made him roll his eyes in response.

"The Notebook," she affirmed, undaunted by her captain's skeptical nature.

"A notebook? What notebook? All this", he waved his arm, "for a stupid notebook? Matsumoto I will _buy_ you a new notebook, heck, I'll have a crate of them delivered if you want, if it will keep you two from taking decades off my lifespan!"

"NO! Of course it's not about a _notebook_ notebook, but _The Notebook_ is a movie from the living world, and then we got talking about the movie _Gone With the Wind_. They are very deep, emotional movies about love, lost relationships, and, and, a woman's tender feelings."

Hitsugaya's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, "You gotta be kidding me!" Both arms gestured about him, "ALL OF THIS was because of some _stupid_ world-of-the-living movies?

"_WE_ weren't doing anything! _YOU_ were the one who burst in here and freeze-dried everything! Look at my flowers!" Rangiku waved an arm toward the corner of the room where a waist high vase stood. "They're dead! Have you no pity!?"

Everyone looked over to the vase jammed with a profusion of flowers that used to be, at one time, white, pink, and red. The stems were leafless with a few stray, wilted petals clinging to them while the majority of the petals were littered about the base of the waist-high urn. From the appearance of things, they were dead because Rangiku hadn't watered them in ages rather than this being a case of death by freezer-burn. The bun-wearing lieutenant stole a glance over at Toshiro but he was turned to face his fukutaicho, one silver eyebrow lifted in rebuttal to her accusation.

Rangiku was busy studying the nails on one slender hand.

"Women are crazy," the tensai* captain finally muttered, his eyes wandering around the room as if he still expected a ninja or two to leap out at any second.

"I heard that!" Two indignant voices chimed in unison.

Looking over his shoulder in the opposite direction, Hitsugaya whispered under his breath, "Meant you to."

* * *

Have you noticed that all along in this whole story, Renji keeps getting mentioned by others as liking to watch movies from the world of the living, yet we never actually get to see him watching one movie yet? Just thought I would point it out. I find it humorous.

*tensai = genius

So dear readers, do you think Byakuya and Retsu could make a good couple, or should they just be friends?

-Dwellin P.s. I'll just mention this once and then no more. I don't care what others do, but as for me, at the end of the chapter is the only place I will put a request for comments or reviews, I promise not to go hunting you down and filling your box full of requests begging for such. However, if you enjoyed this chapter, could you leave even a one-liner comment (besides, '_please update__'_)?

It would fill my little Bleach-loving heart with gladness! m(_ _)m *bow*


	23. Of Witnesses and Mutineers

Author's Note: *waves to the silent reader… yes, that means you* There are a lot of you out there so I just want to take this moment and acknowledge the shy ones, thank you for following this story!

Many grateful thanks to my friend Aine of Knockaine (she is the author of a great Trigun story) for taking time out of her busy schedule to be my beta this chapter!

This used to be one _**very**_ long chapter, which is why I split it up into several chapters. This deals with the wee loose end mentioned many chapters ago that has woven itself nicely into the original story plotline. Breaking it up has helped with quality control and makes it easier on me, and my beta.

Sit back, relax, enjoy. Some rocky waters ahead, prepare the lifeboats.

What I don't know about a character, I make's up.

Bleach. Not Dwellin's. Simple as that.

* * *

**Chapter 23**

**Of Witnesses and Mutineers*******

Rangiku was dreaming; again. It had to be a dream because _he_ was in it; again. This was getting old. _He_ hovered patiently on the periphery until finally hispresence was accepted until she, like a wild animal was slowly tamed by his patient approach.

Yet, even in this unconscious state, her inner being recognized what was happening and struggled through the residue of clinging dreams begrudgingly leaving that state behind. Soon sleep laden lids slowly and reluctantly cracked open to take note her location.

Like so many times of late, she woke up to find herself on the couch. Her brow crinkled while trying to sort fantasy from reality. It always took a moment to figure which it was at first.

A glance over at the glowing hands of the clock told her that it was now in the wee hours of the night. Although Rangiku had started out the evening intending to stay awake all night it was painfully obvious that goal had not been achieved, which didn't say much for her resolve.

Slowly the buxom woman lifted a hand to her forehead; it felt like a boulder with long hair was sitting on her shoulders. With a grimace, she reached up to rub a temple where a small pang was beginning to make itself felt. It wasn't much a headache but usually she didn't suffer from them at all so this was a rarity.

Reflecting on the events of earlier that evening, she recalled drinking with her guests during their visit. _Or rather__,_ if truth be told, taicho had sat with them, arms crossed with hands tucked into the sleeves while sporting a bored expression and rolling his eyes. She and Momo had been doing the lion's share of the drinking. _Or rather_… she, Matsumoto had been doing most of the drinking. It certainly felt like it now! She massaged her temple again.

And yet, right then she wanted nothing more than the blessed nothingness of being unconscious which was infinitely more preferable to the emotional geyser that had threatened to drown her earlier in the evening. _Anything_ had to be better than hearing _his_ name, thinking about _him_, or seeing _his_ face in her memory again.

"Ya's wake now, that's good, hopin' ya would as ya get a summ'ut cranky if anybody wakes ya afore yur ready."

Rangiku let out a screech even as she spun, vaulting over the back of the couch and crouching down behind it. Now where had she put Haineko? Her thoughts were still so woolly that she couldn't think straight.

"Ya's lookn for…."

She rose up enough to peek over the edge of the couch to see her zanpakutou lazily swaying back and forth in midair; _all by itself_!

"_**GHOST!**_" Rangiku shrieked leaping to standing position in a flash.

"_**Ghost**_**! **There's a_ghost_ in my house! Exorcist! I need an exorcist!" She spun around in place frantically looking for her Society of Female Soul Reapers cell phone; where was the damn thing when she needed it!

In the initial twirling Rangiku tripped her way to the dining table and although her cell phone still wasn't to be found, she spotting something that might be better than that. An old adage came to mind as she snatched the object from the center, and then spun fumbling with the lid. Finally, despite shaking hands, the lid twisted off the salt shaker and she let out a small cry of triumph. In a wink she threw the contents in the general direction of the disembodied voice.

"Begone foul spirit! Depart and return no more!"

Rangiku stared at where Haineko was floating, then down at her the salt shaker and then back to her blade hovered in the air as if taunting her, but now there was salt all over the floor underneath it. Someone was going to have to clean that up.

Shaking the fist with the empty salt shaker, she snarled out, "If this is some kind of sick joke you are playing on me Haineko, I swear I will put wheels on you and let Kusajishi use you for a skateboard!"

Yet, there was her zanpakutou, still swaying gently in midair. She swallowed hard. A joke like this wasn't something that a zanpakutou like Haineko's personality type would pull off.

Slowly Rangiku lowered her head and peered down at the empty shaker which up to this point had been her only weapon and idly wondered if chucking it at the specter would do any good.

Without trying to give the impression that she was desperately searching for something else with which to threaten the sword-swiping phantom, Rangiku's head turned this way and then that.

"Eh, firs time I been called a foul spirit Ran chan, but salt don get rid of me."

Rangiku froze. It finally sunk in that she… _knew__…_ that… voice. Oh no. No, no, no, it couldn't be, there was no way it could be who it sounded like! Not here. Surely she had to be dreaming. But she knew it wasn't and decided right then that she would choose an apparition any day of the week over _him_. _He_ was much worse than any ghost! The only thing worse was if _he_ happened to be a ghost himself!

Rangiku swallowed hard and then pointed out, "You're invisible," as she gestured the empty salt shaker in the general direction of _his_ voice. "Ghosts are invisible. Did you die and now you are coming back to haunt me? _Is that it?_ What'd I ever do you, you cowardly, backstabbing son of a bitch?! Go haunt Aizen, he deserves it!"

Rangiku knew the words were filled with false bravado. There wasn't enough salt in the house to get rid of this pest!

Then, the owner of the voice turned visible out of thin air. The speaker, her "_ghost__"_ whom she had never figured to lay eyes on again, was grinning at the sight of her open mouth, totally dumbfounded by his sudden appearance.

Some corner of her stunned mind sadly took in the fact he wasn't dressed in the shihakushou of the Third anymore. No, instead, he was wearing a white outfit with black accents and a long white coat with wrist-length full sleeves, and black socks with white sandals which just looked odd to her. The only color accent in his new fashion statement was a huge bow in the front to tie his new shihakushou together, the color of his eyes, a light greenish aqua. All this was detailed and catalogued for mulling over later, but right now the glaring fact was that it was indeed Gin Ichimaru in her living room.

This was going to be hard to explain, mainly because she couldn't understand it herself!

Rangiku gaped even though she knew it was not a good look on her but it was all she was able to do while waiting for the frozen part of her brain to catch up with reality. _He_ couldn't be here! _Oh, but he is_, insisted that one non-frozen working cell. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening! _Oh, but it is__,_ insisted that same voice.

Worse though, why was all the weird crap happening on her night off!? Could it get any more unfair than that?

To top it off, _he_ was smiling that inscrutable, creepy grin that always made her feel as if he knew a whole lot more about what was going on than she did; which he usually did and didn't that just suck wattage! There was only one thing she desired right at the moment and that was to beat him about the head and shoulders with Haineko. A lot. Many times. Energetically. With zestful passion.

Anger coursed through her and the frozen moment lifted.

"OH and there _will be_ blood," Rangiku snarled out in a muttered breath, tossing aside the shaker to clatter on the floor. She began stalking in his direction while pushing up her sleeves. Then the advancing fukutaicho stopped short when she realized once again that her "floating" sword was swinging back and forth on the tip of this "ghost's" forefinger and in a flash her priorities shifted.

"You zanpakutou thief! Give it back!"

"What, so ya's can sand me raw? Dun think so Ran."

Despite the fact she was an assistant captain and had been one for a long time, it was doubtful that she could hurt him as badly as she wanted to. As much as she hated to admit it, Gin was a more powerful fighter than she was and he had been a captain too. More importantly, her zanpakutou was in _his_ possession and not _hers_. It was extremely difficult to skewer someone when that someone else was holding onto one's weapon.

Another thing in his favor was that he had been a child prodigy even as her captain had been, but Gin Ichimaru had completed the required time at the Academy in one year. A record that was still unbroken to this day. So it was painfully clear to see that he held the home court advantage right here in _her_ home court!

Then Rangiku narrowed her eyes, "Wait a minute! How, exactly, were you able to break into my house? You should have been caught at the gates before you even made it here!

Wait, wait!" She held up an extended arm, waving a palm at him, stalling him even as Ichimaru's mouth was already open to answer her. "Forget that for now, got a more important one: _**Why**_are you here?"

Her light gray eyes squinted at him in growing suspicion and then she scowled and pointed a finger. "Well forget it! This is how it's going down: You are not going to get me to give up any information; I don't care how good of a friend you used to be!"

Ichimaru rocked back on his heels, spread his hands out to either side, Haineko still dangling from a finger, giving her a hurt look, "Ran, Ran, Ran. Hurt, even cut tuh the quick I am. I didn't come for any info. We got all we need. Ex-captains 'member? I know more'n you'll ever know unless you get tuh captn level. I came tuh see Ran chan."

Rangiku froze again, the finger she had raised like a weapon, pointing accusingly in his face, slowly drifted down.

Incredulously she asked, "Are… you saying that you," her voice was rising in pitch, incredulous, "came to pay me… _a social call_? That what, you'll just drop in and catch up on old times? Oh, I know, we'll watch chick-flicks, eat popcorn, and braid each other's hair! Won't that be ever so special?!"

"Ya's gettn a little worked up Ran. But, nah, why'd cha think I'd wanna do that kinda junk?"

"Well, why show up now!? Wait! Let me remind you of something that may have slipped your mind: Me, good. You, bad. You had your chance and you picked the wrong side!" She finished with a glare that didn't faze him. In fact, he tilted his head a bit as if to mull on the puzzle of her odd behavior.

It was all Rangiku could do not to grind her teeth. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to smack that irritating smile right off his face. With a fierce scowl she lashed out, "So… what? You missed us? That it?!"

Rangiku started blinking furiously against the telltale prickling in her eyes. Damn! She hadn't counted on this! In a voice starting to go hoarse she rasped out: "You wouldn't be _missing_ us if you had," and here she emphasized each word with a furious stab of her finger at the floor,

"Just," *_stab*_,

"Stayed," *_stab*,_

"Here!" *_stab*._

"Jerk-breath!" She finished, surprised to find herself breathing hard even as a hard ball of pain began working its way up to her throat, making it tighten.

"You... could… have stayed…." Her voice broke and stopped, eyes immediately brimmed over no matter how she willed them not to. Still, her throat worked trying to get out the unspoken, but most important words: "_with me__"_. It was a heart-broken cry even after all this time had been echoing within her soul, this denied voice filled with the pain and bereavement of crushed dreams and futures that might have been. Again, her soul screamed out: _With Meeeee!_ But these were words that a shattered heart bound with wounded pride would not allow Rangiku admit to or voice out loud.

It took a moment of struggle before Rangiku managed to work around the tight lump in her throat, "With _us_. You could have stayed…."

With delicate chin lifting, the fukutaicho straightened her shoulders and in clipped tones said, "You didn't have to go with _him_!" Her voice couldn't drip enough disdain for the one she refused to name.

She lowered her head, wanting to hide from him what had been so evident in her face; clear proof he couldn't have missed. "Gin, you could have stayed here, with _us_."

He stared at her with his eyebrows raised, the smirk gone from his face, and lips downturned. After a moment, he said in a soft voice, "It's gonna start soon Ran chan…"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Rangiku shouted, surprising herself. That was unexpected.

Dropping her hand, she lowered her voice to something calmer, "You lost the right to that name. Call me Matsumoto fukutaicho. And damnit! Give me back my zanpakutou; I still want to skewer your traitorous ass!"

"Now, dere's the Ran chan I know and love, but is that how ya wanna welcome an ole lover back?"

"_**LOVER!?**_" She screeched, fingers curling in to claws, not ladylike at all but she didn't care.

"You abandoned us! AGAIN! Do you not get that there is a consistent theme to your behavior? It says that you don't care about anyone or anything other than yourself! You've always gone traipsing off doing whatever the hell you wanted to do, and damn the consequences! It's not only a bad habit; those "consequences" were people with hopes and dreams! Because of you, so many of them were killed, or hurt in some way Gin, and yes, I can admit it, even me!"

With a dramatic flourish, she gestured with her arm and motioned to the door. "This time: LEAVE and don't come back! I never want to see your snake-grinning face again!"

Rangiku watched as his eyes shifted to look at the door she was so dramatically flourishing her arm at before returning to meet hers. There was no helping it, as if a spell had been cast, her eyes slid over in that direction, only upon seeing what he had been looking at, hers stayed as if glued in place. With a grimace the beauty of the Seireitei lowered her arm, for even she had to admit that the gesture had lost the dramatic effect she had been going for.

In the silence, Rangiku studied the sliding door that only a few short hours ago, she, Hitsugaya, and Momo had jimmied back onto the runner so it would close. Now it was propped up against the entrance. All it was good for at the moment was to discourage some of the night air from wafting in. Anyone could push it over and enter at will.

Seeing the thunderous expression gathering on her brow, Ichimaru shrugged saying, "I just opened it and well, it fell."

"My door… " she whispered.

Gin glanced at it again, then with a little shrug went on to explain, "Guess they don't make doors like they used to. Pretty flimsy construction if you ask me. Looks like you will need to call someone to come and fix it tomorrow. But don't worry. I'll prop it back up behind me when I leave."

Rangiku stared at the door leaning crookedly across the doorway. He had broken her door! First her heart and now her door! Was there nothing he held sacred? Numbly all that came out was, "At least the doorway is covered up so most of the night air can't get in; I suppose that's something…." She nodded distractedly before continuing, "Yes, then I guess I will just have to…" Then it penetrated.

Matsumoto whipped around, shihakushou swirling around her as she threw out a stiff arm to once again stab a finger at him with brows lowered in thunderous anger, "AHA! I knew it! YOU ARE NOT GIN ICHIMARU!"

Because there was one thing the curvy woman knew, if this was Gin, she didn't stand of chance of beating him in a fair or even unfair fight, _but_ if it was someone disguised as him to mess with her, then she had a very good chance of whipping the living tar out of him, fair or unfair! And right now tar-whipping was definitely at the top of her agenda!

"YOU FILTHY RAT!" Rangiku reached and grabbed the first thing at hand and hurled it at him. A couch pillow. It flew through the air to thump off imposter-Gin's chest before falling to the floor. They both looked down at it, and then up at each other.

"Ouch?" the maybe-Ichimaru said with a wide grin. "Is this your new technique Ran chan? The fluffy-pillow bankai? Well, I've seen worse."

"Says you, imposter jerk-toad!"

"And why is it you refuse to believe I am Gin Ichimaru?"

"You couldn't keep it up, could you?" She placed both fists on her hips and smirked at him. "You just couldn't keep up the accent. And now, buster, you gave yourself away!"

He looked off to the side before sliding his thin eyes back to her to ask with a sigh, "And what accent would that be Ran?"

"Huh? What'dya mean 'what accent'? And HEY, don't get all friendly-like with me! Strangers don't get to call me that! ESPECIALLY seeing as you are a skinny, scrawny, ugly, sham and furthermore, you don't even look like him!"

"You think I'm scrawny? That's uncalled for." The imposter-Gin's shoulders slightly sagged as he went on, "This is going to be harder than I thought."

Then he straightened, regained his customary smile and repeated, "And again, what accent would that be?"

Rangiku gawked. How lucky was she? The Fourth's mental ward had an escapee and here he was standing in front of her in all his "Gin" glory.

Then speaking slowly she answered the mentally challenged intruder, "Gin has an accent. A ve…ry dis…tinct ac…cent."

Then she picked up steam as indignation rose, "And you used it correctly at first, but you just couldn't keep it up, could you? So, no, you are clearly not him." She jabbed a manicured finger at him, "You. Not. Gin. But then that begs the question, 'Just who the hell are you?'"

"Tell me then, if you know him so well, where did your Gin acquire this accent?"

"Are you a nut case? And believe me, I'm leaning heavily toward the possibility you are. Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact you break into people's homes, taking on the guise of a loved one and then jerking them around with rude questions?! You need therapy! And really, why are we even _**talking **_about this?"

"Please just answer the question," the imposter-Gin asked patiently, tucking away in a secret, hidden part of himself the fact that the phrase "loved one" warmed every crook and cranny of his aloof, shadow-filled, walled-off heart.

"Fine then!" snorted out Rangiku, "I'll answer this **last** question and then I'm going to kick you so hard it's gonna launch your butt straight into orbit right over the Seireitei wall!"

Rangiku paused to let the threat sink in only to have her brow twitch in annoyance upon his utter lack of alarm. He merely gazed back at her, not showing even a hint of apprehension.

"Hmph! Okay then, to answer your stupid question. He…"

The ginger-haired woman came to an abrupt stop, pretty mouth puckered along with a frown that slowly deepened as she considered. While doing so, her head drifted in a tilt to the side, and her eyes rolled up towards the ceiling in preoccupied thought before replying, "Alright, uh, well, let's see now. Where _did_ Gin say he was from? I'm sure he mentioned it at least once…"

Rangiku's tapped her chin with a tapered finger again. "I'm sure he said… Wait. No, Oh, I know… It was… No, no, that was Izuru. Where was… Okay, I know, Gin was from… no, no, that was Abarai. Now where the hell did Gin say he was from?"

"I never said because what I have told people over the years are things I made up," said the almost-Ichimaru, faintly shaking his head. No doubt about it, the woman was definitely stubborn. The corners of his lips tipped up slightly.

"Right, he never said because it's an… WHAT!" From being lost in memories one second to being instantly alert, her eyes whipped to fix sharply on him. Yet the buxom woman held her stiff stance; even her fingers stopped tapping her chin to rest there as she studied him with pointed gaze. "Why would you, er, I mean, why would _**he**_,not **you** because **you** are not _**him**_**,** need to make it up?"

"Ran", the maybe-Gin said, his voice holding something she had never heard in Gin himself, so this couldn't possibly be him, could it? She wasn't sure now, because really, had she every really known the boy or the man? There had always been a wall that separated him from others, even her.

"I ran away from horrors you can't imagine, changed my name, my way of talking, my clothes, and my lifestyle all on purpose Ran. Everything about who I was then. All of it is gone. I am who I am now."

He chose a pauper's life in the Rukongai as being better than the life he had before they had met? Rangiku couldn't help herself and fell back onto a chair, staring bug-eyed at this intruder whose identity she was now unsure of, she didn't want it to be Gin, but her stupid, stubborn heart was crying out for it to be him.

"Hiding?" This made no sense. "Hiding? You? Er, I mean, Gin was in hiding?"

"I came from a clan of assassins and enough said about that."

"But, there are no assassin clans named Ichimaru!"

The I-am-Gin imposter merely gazed at her, waiting for the shoe to drop.

"Oh. _Riiiiight_." The shoe dropped like a lead weight, a really embarrassing lead-weighted shoe causing a light blush to rise to her cheeks. "You wouldn't have kept your old name. Duh."

Then Rangiku lowered her face into her hands, "Wonderful. All this time I've been in love with a deceiving, betraying, deceitful, sociopath assassin! What are the odds?"

"You're in love with me Ran?" A curious grin spread across his face as he contemplated the emotionally beleaguered woman in front of him.

Rangiku's head snapped up to scowl furiously at him. "Well, maybe at one time, you scum-weed! Not now! I got over it!"

She saw her words were not making even the slightest dent; instead he was doing something that was causing her breath to catch in her lungs. It was unthinkable! Was it even possible? Hell was freezing over! Or Hueco Mundo, take your pick.

It was mindboggling!

His face!

Her mouth dropped open as astonishment and disbelief flooded through her.

His lips!

His whole countenance was doing something that she had never seen on Gin Ichimaru's face in all the years she had known him and it was a frightening thing to behold. A shiver went through her frame and she wrapped her arms around herself, staring in shock.

Gin Ichimaru, if that was who he was and she was beginning to believe it was indeed him, was smiling!

It wasn't one of those grinning mask, creepy smiles either. No, that could be borne, but this, this was blatantly unnatural!

This smile was for real, from the heart, without any holding back or cynicism; it was a true, honest, soul-warming smile that reached to and lit up his eyes.

Oh! And his eyes were open! His striking, light aqua eyes, the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen in all her life! She was getting weak in the knees just gazing into them. Matsumoto may be the assistant captain of the Tenth, but she was fully, gloriously female and this woman had always had a weak spot for Gin's eyes, especially since he so rarely showed them. He was making her fall in love with him all over again.

Definitely, it was time to make him bleed.

Despite her glaring daggers at him, Ichimaru did something totally unexpected. He tossed Haineko toward a corner. Although surprised by the action, Rangiku was after her weapon in a flash. Unfortunately for her, and completely halting her full-out dash, she slammed into a strong, hard body that nearly knocked her off her feet as the clatter of Haineko could be heard landing on the hardwood floor.

The next thing the Tenth's fukutaicho knew was Gin's long arms wrapping around her and catching her up off her feet. She cursed those same wiry thin arms which belied a sinewy and formidable strength. Gin held her tightly pressed to his chest without any seeming effort on his part.

She hadn't seen that coming.

Yes, another thing the long-haired woman had forgotten about him, besides being scary strong, (his slender physique was exceptionally deceiving) was that he was damn quick, being much, much faster than her, along with another annoying quirk she had forgotten: he was predictably unpredictable.

Struggling to get free, Rangiku's light gray eyes flared with the promise of unholy death as he carried her with an ease as if she was a mere wisp of a thing; which she wasn't. One could not be a skinny twig with the kind of figure she had been blessed with. Still, Gin carried her with a light step as if he had merely been carrying a basket of flowers.

This was a potentially dangerous situation. For her.

"P… put me down!"

"I'm going to."

"NOW, YOU JERK, RIGHT NOW!"

Since her arms were pinned down she kicked at his shins, but each time she lashed out, he easily eluded her assault. With each missed strike her feet went flying one out one way or another with no harm being done to Ichimaru at all. It was as embarrassingly infuriating as it was ineffective.

Not only easily avoiding her kicks, Gin circumvented any further attacks by swinging her up and catching her bridal style; again, as if the curvy woman weighed next to nothing. Ah but now her hands were free…

She reared back an arm, aimed, and was about to let fly with a fist to his face when the next thing she knew, both hands were down by in her lap where he had a hold of her wrists. Had she mentioned that this whipcord thin man had freakishly long arms?

Without seeing it or feeling it happen, he had captured and held captive both of her wrists with the hand of the arm wrapped around her torso. His long fingers were like a vise around her dainty wrists which in his grasp looked ridiculously small, not like a shinigami's hands at all.

"You!...You!" She was so angry that insults wouldn't surface until a snippet of the past flew out of her mouth, "You always hogged the blankets, you… you… stupid-head!"

That only elicited a chuckle into the hair covering her ear, but even so, it caused a flush to rise to her cheeks. Damn him. Totally unfair!

The Tenth's lieutenant was more than ready to throw a tantrum, but for that to work, she needed space and that was the last thing available to her.

It was humiliating but there was no doubt that even as she tried to wiggle out of his iron grip that he was the victor. There was nothing she could do to free herself.

Then, Rangiku noticed that the person she was really wishing was an imposter right now, was heading for the couch. The ginger-haired woman put even more effort into the struggle, but it was useless, Gin (oh yes, she was convinced now that it was indeed him) only tightened his hold on her, but adding insult to injury was the fact that the bastard was still chuckling into her ear, stirring the hair around and tickling her! Damn his squinty eyes! Had he no respect for her position?!

"Put me down! I can't have people see me like this! I have a reputation to maintain!"

Gin stopped in his tracks, leaned back his head so he could look her in the face, eyebrows raised in mild amazement, "No one's around Ran, and which reputation are you referring to, the hard-drinking one or the lazy, I-don't-do-paperwork one?"

She squirmed as she hissed through clenched teeth, "Let me down now and I promise to kill you gently!"

Wiggling and struggling wasn't helping much if one could hardly move. What did he eat for breakfast anyway; vitamin power-flakes?!

Really, she should outweigh him; not that Rangiku would ever admit it, but he should not be able to tote her around as if she were a featherweight! On top of which, she was trying to thrash and twist which couldn't be making it easy for him, yet he didn't show even the slightest sign of being inconvenienced.

"You are only going to wear yourself out."

She glared at him, doing her best not to breathe hard.

"And you are a fink," Rangiku retorted between pants; she really hated it when he was right.

Gin took a few more steps and arrived at the couch. Standing there, he didn't immediately put her down, but instead, grinned at her discomfiture and flushed cheeks.

"Now, Ran, I'm going to place you on your feet and we are going to sit down like the civilized people that we are and have a serious talk so please behave yourself."

"Of course!" She said with a dazzlingly fake smile.

"Ran," Gin shook his head at her, not taken in one whit by her false cheerfulness.

For her part, Rangiku was furious, embarrassed (which made her even angrier) and decidedly uncomfortable. How was she ever going to explain this if someone she knew were to walk in? But there was something she wanted to know even more than that… How the hell could he keep cradling her like this while leaning back as if he had not a care in the world? This had to be killing his spine! She glared at him some more, and hoped he ended up in a back brace and a walker! It would serve him right!

One thin silvery-gray eyebrow lifted. "You have an evil expression right now so I doubt you are going to be very cooperative. I can hold you this way all night if I have to so please don't make this hard on yourself."

"You, shifty-eyed snake!" Rangiku was so angry she practically sputtered while snarling at him, "How in all the known worlds can you expect me to be cooperative?!"

"Because I'm here. I came back to warn you."

Now it was her turn to lean back as she searched his eyes, the color so light that sometimes they appeared to be colorless. They met hers and opened wider. Something was there that she had never seen before and it bothered her that she couldn't figure out what it was. Whatever it was, it calmed her more than anything he had said so far.

He was giving her a grim look and firmly informed her, "Rangiku, this is happening. We are going to sit down and we will have this talk." With that, Gin shifted his hold pulling in her so tight it caused the breath to whoosh out of her.

Then as he studied her, his expression changed and the sly grin he wore as others wore their uniform, slid across his lips. It was then she caught the playfully impish glint in his eye as he gazed at her.

"Uh oh…" breathed out Rangiku.

This did not bode well.

For her.

* * *

*For Rangiku & Gin's part of the story, I listened to a lot of Warren Zevon. I also got the title for this chapter from one of his songs, which he wrote and I assume, his estate owns. Love his music.

I use the reason Tite Kubo gives for why Gin has done everything he has over the years. I was a pile of melted Bleach-goo upon finding out it was all for the sake of Rangiku.

In my mind, this is how a confrontation would play out if they had the time and place, rather than the few pages Kubo assigns to the affairs of the heart.

-_Dwellin_

And who shows up next chapter? Hmmmm, I wonder, I wonder.

Well, til next time then.


	24. I'm Not Good Enough For Her

Alright! This chapter ties the knot on one loose end. Also, this is Matusmoto's chapter; a thanks to her for always having Hitsugaya's back. I hope you enjoy the interaction in this chapter… what I took from Tite Kubo and expanded on and frankly, just made up.

This chapter is dedicated to Icyangel27 and Charmedbooklett who, in essence, keep me writing!

(And a special thanks to my betas: MillyT and Aine of Knockaine! They are the best and have been the greatest help in cleaning up these chapters and pointing out flaws and errors with their sharp eyes and encouraging comments on corrections! I am so grateful to both of you! *HUGS* to both you!)

Dwellin owns things. Bleach is not one of them.

* * *

**Chapter 24**

**I'm Not Good Enough For Her***

Surprisingly gentle, the ex-captain of Third Squad settled his childhood love on the couch before sitting down next to her yet all the while keeping a grip on her wrists. He easily held her down, despite the fact that she was doing her best to wrest out of his hold, her flashing eyes darting longingly over to where Haineko had been so casually tossed in the corner.

"I wanted to see you and talk to you and I only have a short time I can be here. One side is bound to discover I'm gone, and the other side to discover I'm here. Either way, I lose."

"Oh what a pity. Well then, leave already, or stay! I don't care if you get caught by one side or the other! Either way, I won't stop you."

"So you say, but this is what I think."

In an unexpected and hard-to-follow movement, Gin shifted until, in a heartbeat, Rangiku found herself flat on her back, her wrists held down to either side of her head with Gin pinning her down with his torso, again, with so seemingly little effort on his part. This was getting old!

Those thoughts immediately evaporated as she found her face only inches apart from his, in fact, they were practically nose to nose with each other. It occurred to her was that it was going to be very difficult to intimidate him from this position. In so many ways, he had the upper hand. She may not be the most responsible fukutaicho, but she knew her duty.

"I accept your surrender Gin," Rangiku said but it came out as a bare whisper. That wouldn't do. She needed to sound more confident and imposing. Clearing her voice, she continued more firmly, "Give up, come along quietly, and you won't get hurt."

"Ah Ran chan…"

"You are not allowed to use that…"

"Listen,…"

"No I won't, you fox-face, and you can't mak—".

She was cut off as Gin's head closed the small gap between them and covered her lips with his own. At first she tried to squirm out from under but he easily held her down. With his thin, long-boned physique it was easy to forget he was such an astoundingly quick and a formidable opponent. His deceptive leanness certainly gave the opposite impression when in truth Ichimaru was deceptively strong and quite powerful. Darn him.

He broke the lip lock for just a moment to lean in and breathe in her ear, "I have missed you so much Rangiku. You have no idea."

She would have launched back an insult, but with a quick grin he returned to catch her mouth again and swallowed whatever retort she was going to fire at him. He nipped her bottom lip and sucked on it, and she could feel her cheeks burning. He still remembered what sent shivers down her spine. Even as she formed that thought, the beauty of the Seireitei slowly and unintentionally began melting beneath the ministrations of Gin's soft yet unyielding lips. He took from her and gave back, allowing a breath or a sigh here and there before starting from one corner of her mouth and slowly working to the other side. Occasionally he dipped his silver head down to the side of her neck to touch the tip of the tongue to the velvety skin there. Each time he did, it never failed to elicit a small gasp from those shell-pink lips making him grin and congratulate himself on a job well done.

Just when Rangiku felt her body melting into a pool of pleasure, he turned and gently took the lobe of her ear between his teeth to suckle and caress with his tongue, a secret zone that only he knew about.

Rangiku panted out a soft curse. The few men she had ever been with never guessed that was her weak area, always honing in on her obvious assets; but although it had been a long time, Gin still knew her intimately. Again, darn him!

The voluptuous beauty tried her best to keep her anger at a fiery level, but those long, thin fingers stroked sensually along her sides, breasts and sweeping up to her the most sensitive area on her whole body, her neck and shoulders. All of it was quickly and overwhelmingly saturating her rational mind into a one delicious pulsating heartbeat. She tried to whisper his name but he was back again, stroking her lips with his tongue and then leaving fiery kisses along her throat and under her ears. A low-throated moan was the only response she was able to make.

_You're losing Matsumoto! Get back in the game! _A part of her yelled, the part of her soul so deeply wounded that nothing Gin could do would restore him to her good graces, except for the fact that it was still deeply and irrevocably in love with this betraying, capricious, aloof, insensitive, selfish,…. Her thoughts faltered, she just didn't have the energy to think of any more adjectives. Suddenly, a wave of intense heat rushed through her making her mind go foggy, and then, to her embarrassment, she was soon kissing him back with as much passion as he was kissing her.

There was no pride, no protestations of hurt, and no sense of 'you owe me'. There was only one thing that mattered: this one man and this one woman, belonging, together forever and always. This was the way it should be; the way it should have always been.

Rangiku wasn't sure when it happened, but the next thing she knew; her arms were around his shoulders pulling him tighter to herself. No, he wasn't leaving, not again, not ever; she wasn't going to let him this time! He would stay with her and things would be the way they were meant to be. The fates couldn't be this cruel to her, not again.

Only once Ichimaru tried to lift his face from hers but found the vibrant woman clinging to him drawing him back as if even this small separation could not be born and was too much of a reminder of days of walking away from her. Then a movement he had not anticipated and therefore made his eyes open in shock when she flipped him around and Gin suddenly found himself on his back and staring up into a taunting smirk and desire-darkened eyes gazing back at him.

"You stupid man," she whispered, as her dusk-set-aflame hair fell about his face, curtaining them in a private bower that allowed only these two lovers.

When Gin opened his mouth to comment, it was Rangiku's turn to swoop in and lock her lips on his, easily silencing anything he felt he had to say. This time, it was her turn to give to him, awarding, offering without hesitation with lips, hands, and body, all of the life, and love that could be emptied into his being. Along with it in a rush of pleasure so intense it was near painful.

Living so close to the razor's edge of immediate violence and death every minute of his existence now, the affirmation of affection, care, regard, and love she was pouring into him was a near shock to his system. If Ichimaru had ever been caught off guard in his life, this moment won out over any other time. Immobilized, he could only receive the passion rushing out of her as one living in a wasteland would; rain had come over the land and touched it with life-affirming downpour. He was drowning and eager to do so as long as it was his Ran surrounding and filling him up. And he returned to her the gift she was giving to him, matching passion for passion.

Neither knew how long they were in this private moment, where only two were alone in an intimate world all of their own. Soft moans, tugging, hands moving, clothes rustling, lips exploring, and soft whispers of tenderness poured out, soaked up, and were given in return until they were bonded together in action beyond the place of mere words.

Once energies were spent and stilled, there was a moment of silence as each recuperated in silence. Rangiku breathed lightly onto his neck, resting her lips against the skin there. She marveled at the whiff she caught off him. Smoke, male sweat, and a spice she couldn't identify, but altogether, it spoke to her of Gin. It was him and it smelled good. If life could stretch this moment into forever, she would have no complaints. With regret, she pulled herself together as well as she could while watching as a guarded look stole back over Gin's face. Seeing it nearly broke her heart.

To avoid the naked emotion she saw there, Matsumoto sat up and used the excuse of assembling her clothing into a more presentable state to avoid looking at him. If on cue and without a word, Gin did the same and soon they were leaning back on the couch; she, tucked under his arm as it draped over her shoulder. Leaning her head on him and taking in deep breaths filled with all the familiar Gin-smells caused a peace to steal over her. It may only be for this moment, it may be deceptive, but it was hers and it was all she had so she was going to revel in it before tucking it away in her memory.

Slowly, she became aware that he was toying with the necklace she never took off. The necklace that a young Ichimaru had acquired for her, how and where, she knew not but at the time had known better than to ask. The boy of her childhood was not one to give away secrets on a mere whim. Rangiku knew it was probably stolen, but she didn't care.

He chuckled softly as she nuzzled her nose into his neck, "Are you sniffing me Ran? Why you always liked to do that, I don't know."

"You smell good to me Gin. That's why I can't ever be with any… uh, that's starting to sound silly."

"No, it's not. You and I are a fit; albeit a strange one, but still, we belong together."

"Albeit? When did you ever use words like that Gin?"

He sighed and she thought it had the sound of one carrying many regrets, "Only in my head Ran. I had quite the disguise to keep up over the years."

He lifted the necklace, feeling the heat of her skin on the metal links as it slid over his finger while pale aqua eyes, studied each link with care. Finally he turned his head to peer down at the woman who was still snuggled into his side.

"Do you remember Ran? Remember that day? I told you that you were the only one I would pledge to and you accepted me."

She ran a slender hand over his chest and he could hear the tears in her voice that she wouldn't let cry. "Yes, I do." He dropped the necklace so he could tenderly scoop and cradle her as he tucked her in next to him.

"You do remember! I thought you would forget," he whispered. He buried his lips and nose in her glorious mane of hair.

"Remember?" came her husky voice, "You stupid man! The only way I would ever forget _that_ day is when I close my eyes in death." She turned her head so she could look him in the eyes with hers, fierce and blazing as she stated, "And I tell you this Gin, even on that day, I will never forget!"

"You are mine, and I am yours, forever and always my Ran," he whispered up at her as a tear escaped and fell across his cheek, the one and only of his entire sad life, but it would be his gift to her. He knew he wasn't going to make it out of the war alive. It was tearing him apart in ways he hadn't expected.

"And you mine Gin," she choked out while lifting up a forefinger to touch the tear. It was then she knew a fear so deep it sucked the warmth from her soul. This was their last time together.

"I know you always thought I stole that necklace," he said softly, changing the subject because it hurt too much to admit that he would come out of this war alive, but worse, he wouldn't be returning to her, "but I didn't have a ring or I would have given you one."

"Are you saying you didn't steal it? I'm surprised," she barely managed a twitch of her lips; how she could, Rangiku wasn't sure, but hoped it wasn't as strained looking as if felt from her end.

He sighed a bit, "No, I did steal it, but it's not like what I am sure you've imagined. I took it from my clan's treasures when I left what was laughingly called a 'home'. Uh, if you ever need to sell it for any reason, it is worth a small fortune."

"ACK! IT IS?!" Rangiku rocketed from her more languid position into sitting up straight. She would have knocked Gin over if he hadn't followed her up with an angular grace to his movements.

Her light gray eyes were open wide and staring down at the necklace on her oh so considerable bosom in complete astonishment. "Granted, I thought you might have nicked this from a stall at the market, or a bubble gum machine; maybe even some wealthy old dowager, but I never thought…" She breathed out slowly and then asked, "How much are we talking here Gin?"

His eyes flattened and his mouth turned down as he rubbed the back of his head in thought, "Well, I'm guessing it could buy several of Kuchiki's mansions."

Rangiku's mouth dropped open and she began gasping and Gin stared at her in concern. Was she having a heart attack? Her reiatsu was spiking off the charts. Just when he thought about dampening it with his own invention of reiatsu dampening kido-cloak, the spike leveled out and then began fading although she was still hyperventilating a bit, but at least she wasn't going to pass out now. "I sooo thought it was just a knick-knack kind of thing. I can't wear this now! What if I lose it? What if it breaks? It's probably one of a kind, or irreplaceable!"

"By all that's holy Ran, breathe in. Now breathe out, slowly, there, that's better. Once more, easy, let's get some color back in your face first. There you're looking better already." He reached over and took both of her trembling hands in his which still held the tail end of the necklace.

He got off the couch and knelt beside her.

"I gave that to you as proof of who we were and are. I meant it that day. This trinket," here he talked louder over her quick protest, "is yours forever. You know when I give my word I always keep it, whatever else about me; you know that one thing to be true. I swore that I would change things so you wouldn't have to cry anymore. I will make this a safe life for you Ran."

That was beautiful; he couldn't have done a better job if he swiped dialogue from one of those romantic movies she was so addicted to. This was going to get him so far in her good graces that it would take him kidnapping all of Soul Society to piss her off at him again. She had always fallen for that kind of talk before. Despite the fact that he meant it, for once, he still knew it was a bit of manipulation on his part, and hoped against hope that it was working.

There was a long pause.

He wondered what was taking her so long to gush forth reciprocal phrases of love and devotion.

"What the hell-"

Snatching her hands out of his loose hold, Rangiku leaned away and scowled at him and Gin knew that somewhere in there he had made a tactical error but for the life of him, couldn't put his finger on it.

"I sense anger."

"Bully for you! Now sense this!" Her reiatsu went off the charts as she glared poison at him.

For the first time since being smack-dab in the middle of "enemy" territory; surrounded by who-knew-how many shinigami and all of whom would be happy to hasten him to an early grave, Gin felt a twinge of alarm. Rangiku's reiatsu was like a five-alarm fire bell going off for anyone who was tuned in to it.

Quickly, he brought his own kido cloak and surrounded her reiatsu with it, essentially dampening and putting out a small wild fire. He only hoped he had done it in time so no on her wave length would be alerted.

That was when Rangiku felt a wave of dizziness overwhelm her to the point that she went limp and started to fall forward. She would have landed on the coffee table except that Gin caught her and gently lifted her back up. Wrapping his arms around her, because quite frankly, he was hoping she would forget her ire and return to the softer, yielding Ran. Tenderly, he held her whispering soft endearments in her ear as she kept her head lowered so he couldn't see her face.

"I really hate you," she mumbled through the fall of thick hair, "What did you just do?"

"I surrounded your spiritual pressure with my own which is basically hidden, in effect cutting yours off. I'll let up in a moment, I just want to enjoy this moment of holding a cute, weak Rangiku."

Again she mumbled something but this time he didn't catch it, so he took her shoulders and turned her a bit so they could look each other in the face.

"What was that Ran? Didn't quite catch what you just said."

Even as he looked into her brilliant eyes of dove grey with his light ones before they traveled down to her pink-tinged cheeks and perfect pearl-pink lips, he was thinking how lucky he was to have been loved by a woman such as her.

Then lifting his eyes back up to her still slightly unfocused gaze, he waited until the haze lifted from her eyes. As she became accustomed to the weight of what felt like an invisible blanket, clarity returned to her gaze, she licked her lips and he leaned in so he could catch her soft whisper of, "I'm going to kill you Gin."

He sat back, eyebrows lifted before grinning and chuckling, "Ah, that's my Ran. I love you too."

"Stupid man."

He pulled her in close to him, "Don't worry Ran, your strength will come back and in moment I'll lift it and you will recover in no time at all. Just don't spike like that again, it might alert someone. Didn't realize you had gotten quite so strong."

"Huh? What? I am? I mean, of course, what do you expect? I am a vibrant, dedicated, vivacious, not-to-be-messed with… uhhh, just let me rest here a sec okay," she mumbled as she sank against his chest and relaxed into him enjoying the feel of him even as he was obviously enjoying her. That didn't mean he was off the hook though.

It was then the door blew in, but this time since it wasn't on the runner, it landed halfway into the house and landed with a loud clatter.

A blast of cold air rushed throughout the room and Rangiku only had time to think "_not again__"_, before a snarling voice roared out: "MATSUMOTO! HOW MANY TIMES IN ONE DAY DO I HAVE TO BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE?!

Standing in the doorway was the sleep-bedraggled and furious captain of Tenth Company. Following him in and swirling about him were artic winds and snow flurries whipping and snapping at his clothes before they blasted throughout the room quickly lowering the temperature. Curtains fluttered, dishes rattled, and the walls shook. Worse though, narrowed dark aqua eyes glared sharp icicles through the silver locks dangling over his eyes.

She really needed to "captain-proof" her home. She made a mental note to look into it.

Rangiku felt the blush rise as she watched the changes to Hitsugaya's face while processing the scene before him. His mouth dropped open as he froze in his tracks and his eyes widened in shock. Any other time it really would have been comical.

Hitsugaya found his breath temporarily shocked out of his lungs and he made a concerted effort to draw in a breath very slowly and very calmly.

This was unexpected.

And of course this had to be the time he had opted to leave Hyourinmaru back in his quarters and who happens to show up? Only Aizen's right hand man and favorite bootlicker, Gin Ichimaru.

"Greetings Captain Hitsugaya!" Gin tilted his head slightly to the side in greeting. "Didn't need to kick in the door. Oh and, you're grown, what, half a hair or so since I last saw you?"

"Half a foot at least!" And then Hitsugaya winched. He hated that lately references to his height could trigger an immediate reaction out of him especially when it never used to bother him before. Had to be hormones.

The tall, wiry stranger grinned with that creepy snake smile so like the one Ichimaru was known for. He didn't know what this guy's story was, but he was a damn good mimic. He was also shielding, dampening, or somehow nullifying his spiritual pressure, so that his reiatsu was hidden and unrecognizable.

Then Toshiro had a sinking feeling in his stomach, wondering which shinigami or captain the intruder had disguised himself as to make it past the guards at the gates when a thought occurred to him. By the sainted first zanpakutou, this shape-shifting intruder had better _**not**_ have used the captain of the Tenth's own face to slyly enter Soul Society!

Hitsugaya straightened but kept on the alert. "Who are you? And why are you disguised as Ichimaru?"

"EXACTLY! That's what '_**I**__**'**_ said!" exclaimed Matsumoto standing and then placing both hands on her hips.

Bright aqua eyes slid to study his fukutaicho who was standing next to the pretender. In fact, she was standing in such a manner that spoke of being comfortable in the other's company.

Her captain quickly assessed her condition and noted that she didn't look hurt or wounded in any way. He also took in the mussed up hair, her usual pink scarf was missing (oh, there it was thrown over the lampshade), the beet red face, but for the record, she didn't appear to be hurt in any way. He felt the knot of worry in his guts loosen and turned back to glare at the intruder and snapped out, "Well, answer me, imposter."

"AGAIN, what '_**I**_**'** said!"

Hitsugaya reached up to rub his eyes while stating wearily, "Please Matsumoto, let me handle this. After all, you are probably still drunk."

"Well… yes… I was." There was no use trying to deny that one, he had been here earlier and seen her so maybe it was time for a distraction. "Well, hey! Look at the condition my house, my door, my couch…" Rangiku halted when she glanced down at what looked like a violent fight had been waged on her innocent cushions. This could lead nowhere good.

Both men turned to look at her, one with a fox grin spreading across his face and the other with a raised silvery eyebrow in question.

She pointed to the entrance, "Look at my door! Who's gonna pay for my door!?"

Her captain tipped his head at the other man in the room, "I'm thinking _this_ is the more important issue right at the moment. We'll talk about your door _later_, once this little matter is resolved."

He turned a suspicious glare on the other man, in his fukutaicho's house, late at night, and wearing the face of a known traitor. The situation was screaming for answers.

"Again, I ask, who are you?"

"Gin Ichimaru. I'm here to pay a social call on Ran chan. Although she thought I was a ghost at first."

"He was invisible!" She waved an arm at Gin, "And, he floated Haineko. Wouldn't_ you_ think it was a ghost?"

"No, because Matsumoto, if you think about it, in the world of the living, _we_ are the ghosts."

"Uh…" Maybe taicho was right, she should play the 'drunk' card, "Well he just woke me up from a sound sleep! Who wouldn't be a little confused?"

"You should have seen her. Ran chan made such a cute face."

Sunset hair flew out as she whirled on Gin, "STOP calling me that! You have no right!"

"Ah you love me."

"No she doesn't, that's just ridicu…" But Hitsugaya stopped at the sight of his lieutenant's face.

As little experience as he had with other people's emotions, it was obvious even to him that the pretender-Gin was right. He had never seen such an array of misery, love, fear, and desperation flashing across in any one face in his life. The sight made the Tenth's captain want to Sennen Hyourou the stranger on the spot. However, besides blasting Matsumoto's house into smithereens, that would definitely have the Second Company, along with everyone else, here in a matter of seconds. Since he wasn't sure what to do right at the moment, it was better to wait and gauge the situation and find out who this person was and what his reason for breaking in could possibly be before coming to any conclusive decisions. And _THEN_, Sennen Hyourou him within an inch of his life!

"This is not how I envisioned this whole evening going," Gin stated, and for the first time that evening his face showed the first sign of frustration. "How can I prove to you that I am Gin Ichimaru?"

"Let's see, well, there are still the old codes that only the captains know but of course, they have been changed since the defection of the three captains," Hitsugaya mused out loud, "Or, here's a thought: let down whatever kido you are using to shield yourself with and let us judge your reiatsu for ourselves!"

Rangiku lifted a finger, "He kisses like Gin," she offered only to drop her hand when the two men's head pivoted in her direction. Face flushing a deep red, she insisted, "Well, he does and that's good enough for me."

"_I am not kissing him!_" insisted both men at the same time, upon which they both turned to study the other; with Hitsugaya glaring and Ichimaru stoically blank before the habitual smirk widened across his face.

Rangiku looked back and forth between the two men. The tension was definitely rising in the room.

"Well, taicho, it is Gin. I know for certain he is." Rangiku's cheeks again flamed a deep red.

"Listen to me Matsumoto, there will be no more kissing in this room, understand! At least not tonight! And maybe not ever if this is the kind of thing that ends up happening in your house!"

"What are you talking about? This kind of thing never happens! This is a first!"

"Oh good, thinking of starting a trend, are we?"

"Taaaiiiichooo, you're so mean!"

Gin waved a hand, "Yoo hoo! Still here!"

"Right," snarled Hitsugaya, batting at the spikes of hair hanging in front of his eyes, "if you aren't going to tell us who you are, I am going to have to place you under arrest and then you will have to answer to the captains of the First and Second."

"I already told you," Gin sighed.

"I'm supposed to believe you?" Hitsugaya rushed on, not letting his fukutaicho interrupt, "And I am certainly _not_ going to enter a kiss in as evidence of someone's identity."

He snarled, "And Matsumoto stop waving you're arms around like an idiot!"

"Well humph to you! I was just trying to tell you…"

He glowered at his first vice-captain, "No, it's got to be something else that I can trust instead of resting my judgment on the basis of what your hormones say."

Turning back to the Gin-double he said, "And you! If you are going to impersonate someone, you need to work on mimicking their speech patterns to sound like them besides looking like them in order to be an effective imposter."

"That's WHAT I told him too!" Both men ignored her. Matsumoto crossed her arms in a huff. This was _her_ house and no one was paying any attention to her!

"I have always disliked you, Hitsugaya, but now I think I can say with all honesty that I hate you," Gin stated flatly.

"Well if you do turn out to be Gin, the feeling is mutual!" Hitsugaya replied, eyes tightening in anger. Damn, damn, damn, how he wished he had Hyourinmaru in his hands right this moment!

"I would allow the flow of my spiritual pressure out to convince you, but as I am who I say I am, that would be like setting off an explosive device…"

"Oh no you don't! Not in my house! I already have enough damage to clean up!"

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes while Ichimaru let out an exasperated sigh.

"As I was saying, then you could be absolutely sure of who I am," continued Ichimaru lookalike.

Hitsugaya eyed him. "So, what do you purpose to do instead?"

Gin Ichimaru then related the two past exchanges the two had over Momo in vivid detail. Only Rangiku knew the tail end of the second conversation and nodded her head when Gin got to that part. Hitsugaya had to believe him. He, himself, had never told anyone, not even Momo what had been said that day and he knew Matsumoto wouldn't have told anyone about it either.

He digested the information. Then it was true, his eyes focused on one of the three people who should never be allowed to roam free in the Seireitei. Thoughts whirled vehemently as he considered the implications.

"Wonderful. You are Gin Ichimaru," said Hitsugaya flatly, again vehemently wishing he had Hyourinmaru with him. "You do know that I am obligated to bring you in dead or alive, with most of the general consensus voting for the dead part."

"Oh do bore me with your little threats. I so missed this."

Before the two exploded toward each other in battle, Matsumoto took a step between them so that it broke intense concentration on each other. "Gin didn't come just to pay me a social call. He has news about the upcoming battle."

Hitsugaya tensed expectantly, rising up on the balls of his feet while Gin tucked his hand into his coat. No telling what the criminal could pull out, but his uneasiness turned to cautious surprised when Ichimaru pulled out a sheaf of several folded papers.

"This will enable you to not lose so horribly."

"Oh, like we couldn't win at all otherwise."

"No. Aizen will win unless you have a wild card. This war is his." Now his eyes, narrow slits studied the young captain before him. Certainly the silver-haired captain was no fool, but he _was_ a fool in the sense the youth followed a code of conduct that would have him charging into a situation that would most certainly have him losing if he wasn't exceptionally vigilant.

"You are forgetting how powerful the Head Captain is."

"And you are forgetting how powerful Aizen is and that power curve hasn't topped out yet, nor will it anytime soon. I have known Aizen longer than you have been living Toshiro, and you have no idea who he truly is, or how powerful he is." He eyed both the Tenth's leader and vice-leader for a moment letting them digest what he had said.

"But, what I am giving you is a list of all his top fighters with their strengths and weaknesses. Along with that are several entrances that are not that well defended and also some unknown passages to make your way around Hueco Mundo, basically a whole bunch of things your intel doesn't have yet. This may give you an edge, or it may not. Kind of depends how smart or stupid the captains will be with it."

Gin held it out and waited as Hitsugaya slowly moved toward him. When he was within an arm's distance, he lifted a hand to take the documents from Ichimaru. At the last instant, Gin snatched them back and held them up in the air.

"You can have this on one condition."

Hitsugaya froze. He let himself forget for a moment just whom it was he was dealing with. The _snake_ never gave something out of the goodness of his heart. First off, it was a sure bet he wasn't 'good', and secondly, it was debatable he even had a heart. Toshiro lowered his arm, thinking rapidly.

Seeing his dilemma Gin reassured him, "Ah, don't worry little captain. I'm not asking you to betray Soul Society or do anything that compromises your sickening sense of self-righteous morals." Gin had to grin at the glare he was receiving. It was too easy to tease Hitsugaya which almost took away the fun of doing it. Almost.

"Gin stop it! You are acting like a child! Just tell taicho what your condition is and let him decide for himself whether it is worth keeping or not."

Gin gestured at the silver-haired captain, "Well, he was glaring at me."

"EVERYONE glares at you Gin!"

"Hey, you glared at me first!" Hitsugaya seethed, and then snapped his mouth shut in mortification as he realized how childish that just sounded.

"Will you two stop it! Geez!"

Rangiku brushed a lock of hair back over her shoulder, sighed and then repeated, "Just tell him Gin."

Surprising the two other shinigami, Ichimaru chuckled, "Fine. This is what I want. Rangiku stays here along with the home defense troops instead of part of the invasion force."

Two stunned people stared at the traitor. Then all the ramifications and effects of the condition were instantly valuated, assessed, and considered. Hitsugaya nodded. He would go along with it until Gin's real motive was revealed, because this couldn't be the real reason, because this cold-hearted traitor couldn't want something, so… so… _normal_.

"Oka…"

"Not gonna happen Gin!" hissed a furious Matsumoto.

"Well, Ran, it's not up to you now, is it?"

"Where's Haineko?!" muttered the fukutaicho, spinning around. Now which corner had Gin tossed her zanpakutou toward?

"Eh.." And then Gin vanished and reappeared but this time he had Haineko back in hand. "You can have this back when I leave."

Matsumoto was speechless with rage.

"See, Ichimaru, even _she_ glares at you. You can't win for losing," pointed out Hitsugaya feeling a perverse sense of pleasure in seeing Ichimaru's discomfort.

That was rather unnecessary thought Gin.

There was a sputtering sound and two sets of eyes shifted over to the lone woman in the room. It was obvious to the both of them that Rangiku was livid.

Seeing his fukutaicho in such an agitated state, Hitsugaya directed, "Calm down Matsumoto, you haven't had Haineko in hand the whole evening and if you haven't done him bodily harm before now, you know you won't now. Besides, for some reason," here he glanced at Ichimaru out of the corner of his eye, "I believe him."

"I hate both of you!"

"Look who's being immature now," Gin said with a smirk. He grinned at the way Rangiku's eyes moved back and forth following the pendulum swing of her weapon on the end of his finger.

"You provoke the maturity right out of people! You do know that, right?!" Rangiku could feel a headache coming on. The man was infuriating!

"Calm down people, we have more important issues that need our attention." He was growing disgusted with Gin's act. There had to be something more going on here and he intended to find out what it was.

"You were the one glaring just a second ago," muttered Matsumoto under her breath while crossing her arms sullenly.

Turning his attention back to the one holding the important paper and Haineko, he said, "So, that's it. You are worried about Matsumoto?"

Hitsugaya tucked his hands in his sleeves and went on in a scathing voice, "You traveled all the way here without Aizen getting suspicious, then got through every single obstacle, and broke in to Matsumoto's house, _JUST_ to deliver the message, 'Hey Matsumoto here's a quick _head's up_, when the day of battle comes, call in sick, okay?' Well, I don't buy it."

A silence so thick and deep stretched out as the two watched Ichimaru. His head was lowered as if thinking, but finally he raised it and both were shocked at the naked emotion that showed there.

In a strained voice he explained, "If anything happens to Ran then everything I have done for all these decades, the depths I have sunk to, the lie I have lived, will have been in vain."

Hitsugaya felt his mouth drop open, again. Gin Ichimaru, one of the three great traitors of Soul Society's history was admitting to caring about someone and deeply, but this time, despite being surprised, he heard the sincerity and truth in the words. Still, for a second his head reeled as if reality were spinning sideways out of control.

Upon seeing the youth's stunned expression Gin explained, "Don't change your opinion of me little taicho, because you, I don't care so much about. No scratch that. I don't care about you at all." Then his habitual snake-smile deepened as Hitsugaya's blue-green eyes narrowed.

Suddenly turning serious, he said, while using Haineko to gesture at the still fuming female shinigami, "But she can't go because she is being specifically targeted. Aizen doesn't allow his underlings to have emotional connections he can't exploit. He has always been suspicious that we were more than two kids growing up together." He waited a beat for Hitsugaya to connect the dots, knowing he would.

The frown lifted as realization flooded him, and Toshiro said in a level, flat voice, "That whole thing using Hinamori to try and kill me or me kill her. He planned that."

"Yes, from the very day that you entered the Academy and he knew it wouldn't be long before you were made a captain. Did you ever wonder why she was accepted as a vice-captain not long after your entrance into the Academy?"

"No," huge blue-green eyes locked onto Ichimaru's slit ones, "I didn't, because she should have been promoted to a vice-captain. Hinamori more than meets the necessary qualifications and requirements for the job and even rises above them."

"Oh yes, that too, but wheels within wheels Hitsugaya taichou. Everyone who could have seen through his machinations, he dealt with by keeping them busy running around so they wouldn't notice until too late."

"Okay, a new standard has been set. I hate Aizen even more than you."

"Well, now that we have that out of the way, shall we do what they do in the living world when two people come to an agreement and shake on it?"

"I really don't want to touch you Ichimaru," grumped Hitsugaya, "but I will."

"Good."

Hitsugaya shot a look out of the corner of his eye at his fukutaicho, "I can hear your silent grumping Matsumoto. You don't have a say in this; this is between me and Ichimaru." With that Hitsugaya met and locked stares with Ichimaru while extending his hand.

Gin broke his gaze to look down at the younger shinigami's hand as if he truly hadn't expected it. He stared for a moment and then tucked the papers in an inner pocket before slowly reaching to take Hitsugaya's hand in his. Returning his gaze back to the meet hard dark aqua orbs, he slowly shook the other's hand.

When both were satisfied, they broke their grip and Ichimaru retrieved the papers and held them out.

Hitsugaya nodded and took them. He couldn't help himself and opened them. His large eyes darted over the information listed there and forgetting himself, he drifted over to a chair to study them in depth.

"Uh Hitsguaya taicho?"

Both Hitsugaya and Matsumoto turned, unable to hide the shock they felt.

"What did you just call me?" choked out Hitsugaya.

"Yeah Gin, did you just call my taicho, '_taicho_'?" asked Matsumoto incredulously.

Gin shrugged and then did something she was not prepared for, he tossed Haineko to her. Without thinking she caught the zanpakutou still staring, unblinkingly at the man dressed in white uniform that fairly screamed, "I support Aizen".

This was a night for firsts.

"Hitsugaya taicho," repeated Gin. Their stunned eyes were locked on him.

"May I have a moment alone with Rangiku?" asked Gin politely.

"This is the scariest thing he's ever done," said Matsumoto woodenly.

"He's even creeping me out," whispered Toshiro, stunned.

"Please," his voice could barely be heard.

"I'm gonna go…" Hitsugaya pointed in the direction of the bedroom and stood while still staring at Ichimaru.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," she agreed huskily, also not able to turn away from staring at Gin. She was gawking and knew it but it was hard to not react to this… this.. what _was_ this anyway?

As he opened the door, he turned and looked over his shoulder, "You do anything to upset her and I finish you Gin."

"Understood little captain."

With a hiss of annoyance, Hitsugaya entered the room and slid the door shut behind him, leaving the couple to a semblance of privacy.

* * *

This song is one I listened to A LOT while writing this chapter and the previous one.

"She's Too Good for Me" - From _The Wind_by Warren Zevon

As for the Gin/Rangiku scene... you get out of it what you take in.

Thanks for reading. m(_ _)m

_-Dwellin_


	25. Keep Me in Your Heart

Tite Kubo; to him who owns all the Bleachity goodness there is, along with all the characters.

Dwellin just gets the figures out, poses them and imagines. These pages are just the byproduct of such play.

This chapter ends Rangiku's tale and we start back to our regularly scheduled Hitsu-Hina moments. For those who requested a Rangiku-Gin interlude, I hope this has been to your satisfaction as I have done my best and tried to do this pair justice.

My favorite part was writing and still is, the Hitsu-Ran moment at the end.

I am so grateful to my betas, Milly T and Aine of Knockaine. Despite their busy schedules, they agree to help me out, time and time again. You both are incredible! Thank you so much!

* * *

**Chapter 25**

**Keep Me In Your Heart***

_"Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath…_

_If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less…_

_Keep me in your heart for a while."*_

Gin's eyes followed Hitsugaya as he crossed over to the bedroom, waiting silently until the silver-haired captain entered and then slid the door shut behind him. Even then, he waited, letting the silence and tension deepen.

He cast a quick glance in Ran's direction as she was being uncharacteristically quiet. A corner of his mouth twitched before sliding up to form a half-grin.

Her eyes were wide with amazement and his would be too if he were, well, anyone other than himself. Ichimaru knew the boy-captain would die a million painful deaths rather than admit it, but this time allowed alone with Rangiku was the highest form of a compliment (and the only one) he would ever receive from the silver-haired prodigy. And although Gin, in turn would never admit to it, he was grateful to Hitsugaya for unbending enough to tolerate this brief moment with Matsumoto.

After returning to Hueco Mundo, this begrudged compliment would be just added to the other precious memories that would be buried deep beneath many layers of denial and impenetrable walls of devious misdirection. No one would know or even suspect what he treasured, and they would never think or even question whether the rat-bastard Ichimaru was capable of even _having_ a soft underbelly.

Rangiku wrenched her eyes from the door and turned to stare at Gin, still dazed by her captain giving in to Gin's request. Then her eyes narrowed, wondering what was going through Gin's mind as his long, slanted eyes studied the closed door. He had a strange and peculiar look on his face.

She sighed. This night was undoubtedly one for breaking everything she had ever known about her childhood friend and former lover. Emphasis on former.

Finally ready to give Rangiku his full attention, Ichimaru turned to her but paused in that moment to imprint the sight of her in his memory. He let himself acknowledge and bask in it. There would never be another time like this.

Despite her eyeing him with wariness, the magnificence that was Rangiku was not just her physical form, but all that encompassed Ran. It was all the more apparent to him from the years sinking deeper into the abyss of Aizen's evil machinations and twisted schemes. Nothing was pure, good, or right that emanated from that warped mind.

Again, this was yet another memory he would tuck away, but for this brief time, it would be all he had and for just once he would let his feelings for Rangiku rise up and permeate his tattered soul.

Upon returning to Hueco Mundo, he would once again pull on the mask as one of Aizen's most loyal, and mischievous, subordinates. A mask he had worn for so many decades that he wondered by now if it was only a mask or if over time it had grown into his true face. He didn't know, and surprisingly, he was finding it an unpleasant thought to consider.

He took in a deep breath and let it out. It was time to tell her. It was time that she knew the truth, the reason why he had done what he had done over the years. Taking in her impatient tapping foot, he was beginning to suspect that she wouldn't appreciate it as much as he thought she would or should. Maybe it was her tapping toe or the quirk of one skeptical raised eyebrow as she glared back at him.

He looked down, gathering his thoughts. If Aizen hadn't stolen some of her reiatsu that fateful day, then she could easily have been one of the most powerful shinigami in the history of Soul Society. Power for power, she could have even given Zaraki a run for his money if not for his maniacal bloodlust for battle.

Gin advanced until he was close enough to reach for her hand, and then cupped it gently in his while looking down to study it. The knuckles were scarred but it was still a hand that was so delicate and yet strong. It wasn't for nothing she was a vice-captain. He smiled; his powerful, lazy cat.

Looking up, he caught her wondering eyes and then reached up and touched the necklace she constantly wore with the tip of his fingers.

"I am so glad you remembered Ran."

He heard the breath suddenly being sucked into her lungs before she answered. There was a hesitation and then she replied in a voice so low that the only reason he heard it was because they were nearly nose to nose.

"Of course I remember Gin."

He lightly stroked one of her knuckles with a rough thumb, "All these years. I always figured that you had forgotten." He lifted his eyes to peer into hers.

"Yes," she held his eyes; there were no lies here, not now. "That's exactly what I thought about you." Why was he going over this again?

"Never."

He bowed his head while lifting and tenderly touched his lips to the back of her hand, skin so silky and smooth under his mouth that he wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and kiss the doubts and hurt away. Too late, much too late for that.

Rangiku gulped as she gazed down at the back of the silver-grey head still bowed over her hand, his lips so warm and satin soft, knowing he could feel her pulse quickening. As much as she would like to allow her desires to go in this direction, there was no time for games. She needed to know the answer to the riddle.

"Then how could… Why did you…" She halted, her throat going dry while trying to get out the words but there was just too much history, too much emotion that threatened to overwhelm her.

He lifted his head from the kiss and showed her a face she hadn't seen in decades. The one filled with warm concern, the one she had woken up to on that fateful day so long ago when he offered her one of his treasured persimmons. If only she could rewind time and redo it all. There was so much she would have changed. Now that she knew he was the one who needed saving, she would have done everything in her power to do so. Who could have known it had started back as far as that day.

Tenderly and fondly she let her gaze wander over his face, memorizing with a fond ache in her heart, each and every treasured feature.

Definitely. The thing she would have done was kill Aizen or die trying.

"Ya got a devious look on your face Ran. It's too hard to resist."

Ichimaru leaned in and planted a kiss, gentle, caressing her petal soft lips with his thin, firm ones. He could feel her still under him, the welcoming warmth of her mouth as she tilted her head in response to him. Reluctantly, he lifted his mouth from hers to allow a bit of space between them, he whispered, "All of it was done to protect you Ran, and to retrieve what he stole from you. I couldn't allow him to keep what was yours."

Her eyes flew open in shock. _What?_

"What are you talking about?"

"That day, I saw what he stole. From you."

Rangiku was locked in a frozen stare.

Gin continued, "You know. Your reiatsu. Back then, he was stealing it from anyone that was gifted with spiritual power. Some died because of it, but you were one of the lucky ones, you survived."

"Aizen. Stole," Rangiku was having a hard time processing the new information. So that was what had happened. She had never known. One minute she had been walking along a dusty path and the next thing she knew was waking up to Gin's face bending over her with a worried look on his face. All the puzzle pieces were falling into place and she didn't like the picture it was making. "Aizen stole reiatsu from me?"

"Yes, and you, surprisingly, lived through the extraction process."

"He stole reiatsu," she repeated slowly, "from me."

"Yes."

"And you saw him do it?"

"No, not the 'doing it' part, I came across him and his goons after the deed was done, as they gave him what they had collected."

"You saw that?" Her eyes were wide and she had a hard time keeping her jaw from dropping.

"Okay, so let me see if I have this right. After seeing Aizen steal reiatsu from me, that was the moment right then when you chose the side and the path that you have followed all these years?"

She twirled her index finger in a circle, "All this, everything you have done, is all because of him stealing from me?"

"Yes. For you."

Gin slightly puzzled at what he was seeing and decided to take a step back as one of Ran's eyebrows was beginning to twitch alarmingly. This usually was a signal that she was on the verge of an impressive eruption. This was not what he had been expecting. Sure, erupt in Aizen's specific direction, yes; but at himself, no.

Yet, in a calm voice that contradicted the ominous twitch, she asked, "That's it?"

Gin tilted his head quizzically, "Yep."

Matsumoto, unofficial queen of the Tenth Company, leaned back, placed her hands on curvy hips and studied Ichimaru, her childhood savior, as she would one of the new, raw and green recruits who had, by some action or behavior, brought shame on the Tenth.

Ichimaru was not used to being pinned in place by such a look.

Over the years and decades, he had been the recipient of looks of awe, mistrust, fear, hatred, perplexity, and even disgust, but this? This was new.

Then, her face turned an interesting shade of red while a glittering sheen of unshed tears gathered in her eyes. Gin decided that he would rather see Matsumoto unleash torrents of rage rather than tears.

Her throat worked until she at last managed to choke out before gathering speed and volume, "You… mean… to tell me… that all these years of you genuflecting, scraping, kissing Aizen's ass is because, and **only** because, _the dirty thief stole some of my reiatsu!_?"

He hesitated before nodding. This was not going like how he imagined it should.

She took a deep breath, and for Matsumoto, that was quite impressive, but Gin ignored it, there was a storm threatening to brew and it was all hands on deck. He tensed, ready for the blow.

"I can't believe you Gin Ichimaru! For a genius you are the dumbest, stupidest, most thoughtless, foolish, most ignorant, excuse of a man I have ever laid eyes on!" Her eyes were spitting sparks and her spiritual pressure was beginning to flare around her. It was quite impressive and on another occasion the wiry and trim man would have enjoyed the sight. But this was not the optimal time and place for such an exhibition.

"How many have you laid eyes on?"

"Agggh! I hate you Gin Ichimaru!" She yelled, balling up her fists. He so deserved to be hit.

Just then a muffled voice came through the bedroom door, "If you want, I could "snowflake" him to death for you."

"NO!" Rangiku yelled at the door before turning her attention back to Gin but stopped as a thought hit her and she turned back to the door yelling, "And stop eavesdropping; it's beneath you!"

"I'm not eavesdropping! You're yelling, it's hard not to overhear you!"

"Well go wait in my bathroom!"

"Absolutely not."

"Then go sit on the bed."

"Fine, but shriek if you need me."

"Take that back! I've never shrieked in my life!"

"Huh, says you," came the more muffled retort as her captain moved away from the door, but both could tell it was only a pace or two.

Hands curled into fists, eyes squeezed tightly shut, and gritting her teeth Rangiku hissed out, "I can't believe I am surrounded by geniuses who are total blithering idiots!"

She turned her attention back to Gin, now so riled she was ready to throw salt shakers, zanpakutous, and even kido grenades at these men!

"Hey!"

"Now that's a bit unfair Ran," objected Gin holding up his palms in a placating gesture.

With fire in her eyes, Matsumoto slowly advanced on Ichimaru saying, "And you! You took it upon yourself to deal with something that was mine and only mine to choose how to deal with. _**You stole from me Gin, as much as Aizen did!**_"

Gin's hands dropped to his sides as his mouth opened to refute her but he couldn't find the words. He was stunned.

"Yes," she said, only sadness in her tone as all the fury drained out of her. "I could have fought Aizen, ignored him, reported him, or forgiven him. But those were **my** choices to make, but I couldn't because you stole them from me. And Gin? That hurts worse than knowing what Aizen did."

Gin Ichimaru did what he would never do for any other living creature in his whole life. He humbly bowed his head and sank to one knee before his reason for living.

"You're right Ran. I never saw it that way, never even occurred to me. I am a great fool. I made decisions on my own assuming what was for the best… for you."

He stayed in a kneeling position, wondering what she was thinking, what she was feeling. Gin never imagined he would ever regret the actions he had chosen to take in the past. He probably still would have chosen the path he had given the same chances, but it deeply disturbed him to hear her sorrow over her stolen choices, and that, he did regret.

"All the 'what-could-have-beens' Gin. That's what I will always wonder about and grieve over. But I guess I have to get over you don't I?"

Gin rose smoothly and moved forward to gently take her face in his long, slender hands. For a long moment he gazed into those shining orbs as they softened. What could he say? He had loved her for so long. Everything he had done from the first day he had met her was for her sake. Now, to learn it was not worth anything to her. She esteemed not one bit of it. The only thing she had ever wanted was him and that was the one thing he had held back from her.

Gin Ichimaru knew then that he was Soul Society's greatest fool.

Leaning down, he softly kissed her lips and then straightened to look back into those warm eyes which were starting to glitter with the shine of tears.

"That's what I am going to take with me Ran. I'm not gonna survive this, but I want you to move on and find someone to be happy with. Someone who will love you enough to put you first and not a selfish bastard like me. You're the only good that has ever happened to me."

"Don't…"

"Ah don't argue. You know it's true." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips this time, lingering a heartbeat and only a heartbeat or else his would surely break in two.

"Bye Ran."

And with that, Gin Ichimaru was gone.

She looked over to Haineko, the pink sash still over the lampshade, and the salt shaker on the floor. Just a few things as proof he had been there.

The door to her bedroom flew open startling her, "Where the hell did he go?"

Of course, that too was a reminder. Rangiku sighed and pointed toward the door. She didn't trust her voice right then.

"That sneaky, slimy bastard! I don't trust him. I'm going to make sure he leaves without stirring up any further mischief."

Mischief? That indeed was Gin Ichimaru's modus operandi and went without saying.

She expected her captain to disappear in the same manner as Ichimaru, but he hesitated and looked back to study her.

"Are you alright Matsumoto?" He asked softly, aqua eyes full of concern.

"No," she replied with tears in her voice, "but I will be." She looked up to find her captain's eyes and tried to smile. Instead, a teary gasp escaped her and that nearly broke her so she gestured toward the door. "Go on; follow him before he gets too far ahead of you," she was able to rasp out.

With another kindly yet perceptive look, he took off, gone in a blink of an eye.

_I'm taking the day off tomorrow and get blind-stinking drunk_, Rangiku thought to herself as she moved toward the kitchen, suddenly exhausted by the night's events. _Maybe I should start now before the Christmas rush._

* * *

Gin Ichimaru stood on a hillock overlooking the whole of the Seireitei. His eyes roamed over the familiar scene that used to be home.

Gin had told Rangiku that he was leaving, and he was, but first there was just one last thing that needed doing before returning to Hueco Mundo. Tilting his head, the traitor shinigami puzzled for a moment over the nagging sense alerting him that someone was around. He frowned as he stood silently trying to perceive a hint of reiatsu but unable to detect any trace. He also hadn't heard anyone trying to follow him. He had been that careful and that elusive. Yet, he tensed, waiting and listening, but finally he decided it was only his imagination.

In one quick shunpo, Ichimaru was gone. One moment there was a silhouette standing there in the moonlight and then nothing but the sigh of the wind in the trees.

Gin materialized outside of the quarters of a certain male shinigami and stood motionless as he again scanned for any sense of reiatsu coming from a conscious person. That sense of a feather touch from earlier made him uneasy, but despite scanning in all directions again there was nothing indicating that anyone was following him. The tall, lean ex-captain was alone. He allowed himself a grin. In the next instant, he was inside the room and cast a quick kido toward the sleeping male to assure the sleeper would not wake up during the process.

Then softly murmuring a high level kido chant, he enacted one that he himself had created for just this purpose. It resembled nothing more than a glowing dandelion puff, levitating above the palm of his hand. Despite a calm demeanor, Ichimaru handled the kido gently for it was a very fragile construction and one that could easily be destroyed, and that wouldn't serve his purpose at all.

More gliding than walking, the tall, slender man made his way over to the bedside, not worried about sleeper waking up, but rather for the sake of his kido. Then kneeling he slid his hand away and the kido that had been a soft glow began to shine more brilliantly as it hovered above the sleeping man's chest. Slowly, almost leisurely it floated down hovering over the man's torso before sinking into his chest. Gin was pleased to note that it did not disturb the sleeper in the least. Then after waiting for a few seconds until the chest began to glow a pale green as did the man's head, Ichimaru let out a soft breath of satisfaction. It was working.

Leaning down, he whispered in the man's ear and only briefly did a frown show up on the forehead before smoothing out again under the continued murmuring of Ichimaru's voice. Upon finishing, Ichimaru rose to his feet, staring down. It would be such an easy thing to end the life of this shinigami; he was utterly helpless and vulnerable. If things had gone in a different direction, this man might have been a rival. All it would take would be one small uttered kido and this life would expire…

Ichimaru fought down the flare of jealousy, and even the fierce stab of grief. This was not about him; this was not even for him. As with everything he did, this was for Rangiku. What was set in motion now would change everything.

"Pleasant dreams Shuhei Hisagi, for I have chosen you to be Rangiku Matsumoto's protector and maybe even future love. Do not fail me."

He stared for a brief moment longer, watching the rise and fall of the man's chest before turning to leave. Once outside he stopped and took a moment to reflect on the full moon. This was the last time he would ever see it from this place.

"Oi, Ichimaru. What are you doing here?"

Ah, there was the reason he had been feeling fidgety.

Ichimaru turned to look over his shoulder and found Captain Hitsugaya standing behind him with arms crossed. It was not lost on him that the silver-haired youth wore the green sash holding his famous zanpakutou. As if that wasn't enough evidence, poking up over his shoulder could be seen the cloth-wrapped hilt of Hyourinmaru.

"Ah, Jyuuban taicho. Seeing me off are you?"

"Matsumoto might trust you, to a certain extent, but I don't. That was quite an impressive show you put on for her tonight. Now give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you!" Hitsugaya immediately went into a crouch with his hand grasping his sword's hilt. More threatening than the stance though was the promise of death in those aqua eyes, glittering with smoldering rage at the man in front of him that dared to hurt yet another one of those he cared about.

"Only one reason Hitsugaya? I will tell you the only reason you need. Aizen stole Rangiku's reiatsu when we were children, along with many others; a good deal of them didn't survive like she did."

Hitsugaya studied the ex-captain in front of him from his crouched position, wondering where this was going.

"So, that's it? That's the reason you did everything and have chosen to be branded as a traitor, even risk execution? All because Aizen stole from Matsumoto."

Ichimaru hissed out in frustration, "Why can't you see how important that is! If he hadn't, she would have been even stronger than she is now, and already be a captain herself by now!"

Seeing Hitsugaya's doubting look, his hands curled into tight fists, "He nearly killed her as it was, and left her for dead. Someone besides me could have found her first, some unworthy, unprincipled deviant and who knows what would have happened!"

Seeing the cynical look of mistrust on the boy-captain's face, he amended, "I mean, worse than me. I know what you're thinking, that I was that person that came along." With a smirk he added, "But believe me, or don't (as he saw the skeptical look deepen) but I wasn't nearly as bad as some that could have found her."

What took Rangiku most of the evening of her time with Gin, took less than seconds for Hitsugaya to sift through all that Ichimaru was saying and come to a conclusion.

"First off, in my opinion, _you_ are all that, but the important thing to her is, that it was _you_ she had Gin. And you, you stupid, damn fool, threw it all away for petty, selfish revenge."

"I did it for her. I wanted to change things!"

"You did it for you and you alone!"

Both men stared at each other breathing hard, conflict, barely concealed distaste, and resentment practically oozing from their pores along with an almost tangible sense of rising between the two men. They were mere seconds from a fight.

Hitsugaya's hand tightened on his zanpakutou's hilt when he noticed, "Where's your zanpakutou? I figured you hid it out of sight because if Rangiku saw it she wouldn't listen to a word you had to tell her."

"Don't have it on me."

Hitsugaya locked gazes with Ichimaru then swiftly scanned this devious foe for any sign of a weapon. He hadn't forgotten for one moment who it was that had tried to get Momo killed, first by using Izuru, then manipulating her into believing that he, Hitsugaya, had been a murderer. Not to mention the fact he had led her straight to Aizen who had skewered her with the intent of killing her. No, there was nothing about Ichimaru that he trusted except for the betrayer to serve his own secretive and elusive purposes.

But it was obvious that Ichimaru didn't have a sword on him, not even one the size of Shinzou. This threw a kink in his plans. Hitsugaya hadn't planned on facing an unarmed opponent, instead, what he had been expecting was to engage his foe in mortal battle and then kill him so this night could never be repeated, ever again. He didn't trust Gin to stay away from his cherished ones.

"You have a corroded soul and withered heart Ichimaru, and no good thing will ever come from you."

"Your opinion is not the one I care about."

"I have never liked you."

"We've already established that earlier and frankly, the feeling is mutual."

Hitsugaya unconsciously pulled Hyourinmaru partly from the sheath and spiritual pressure began to emanate from him. "I will kill you Ichimaru!" he hissed.

For his part even though certain death was confronting him, Ichimaru didn't lose the calm, relaxed stance, instead, he lifted a finger to his lips and shushed the silver-haired captain saying, "Shhhh, people are trying to sleep."

A small vein in Hitsugaya's temple began to throb. Ichimaru never failed to make his blood pressure rise, but he hissed out again but this time in a low whisper, "Fine then! Let's just take this outside the walls. I don't trust you to not take any more unapproved deviations from your departure. And it doesn't matter to me where I kill you."

Gin's grey eyebrows lifted, "Unapproved? Really?" Then with a negligent circular motion of his hand and voice dripping with sarcasm, "How about the blatant fact that I am totally breaking and pissin' on every rule in the book concerning traitors and such forth and so on." Then his brows lowered as the thin snakelike smile spread across his face, "And you, one of the most respectable out of all the captains, are skulking and following around a known criminal in the wee hours of the night without alerting the patrol like you should be doing." He waggled a forefinger at Hitsugaya, "Naughty, naughty."

"I changed my opinion, I don't just dislike you; I intensely despise your very existence!"

"Then catch me." With those words, Ichimaru was gone.

In that instant Hitsugaya was alone with a silence broken only by the sound of his grinding teeth. "Damn, he gets under my skin!" And with that, he too disappeared from the spot.

* * *

Rangiku took down a bottle of sake` she had been saving for a special occasion; how more special could tonight have been? The only man she had been in love with all of her life had basically told her, for all intents and purposes, to consider himself dead to her and that he would probably be killed in the upcoming war.

She idly read the label and then put it back in the cabinet. For some reason, the desire had lifted and she was no longer in the mood to get drunk.

"Stupid man."

Haltingly the assistant captain made her way back to the couch. She should have this thing bronzed for all the action it had seen that night. If her house burned down, that wouldn't be a problem, but this one piece of furniture however was beginning to accumulate some deep memories, good and bad.

Plopping down on one of the overstuffed cushions, she curled her legs under her and pulled the afghan around her shoulders and numbly went back over the night's events in her mind.

"For a genius, he made all the wrong choices. Guess intelligence can't save you from being stupid." She thought about her own words for a moment and then uttering a deep sigh, she leaned her head back and the memories from their first encounter onward began to flow like a deep river and she let it carry her away to the past.

Then she lifted and tilted her head as if listening to tune only she could hear.

* * *

"Well, here we are Hitsugaya taicho. We are outside the city walls. Still got the itch to kill me?"

"Always a priority with me Ichimaru bastard!" snarled Hitsugaya and reached for Hyourinmaru.

"Even if I am unarmed?"

The captain of the Tenth's hand halted halfway to his sword. Could he kill this traitor of the Soul Society and everything it stood for, a turncoat from the Thirteen Court Guards, murderer of who knew how many shinigami and innocents over the years, and also betrayer of everyone who had even trusted him even slightly and do it in cold blood? Normally, he would have said no.

"Word of advice, Hitsugaya taicho, you are so trusting and confident in your own skills and talent that you have a tendency to underestimate that of your adversary. It's a bad habit you have."

But this once, he could indeed.

In an instant Toshiro had Hyourinmaru out and pointed straight at Ichimaru's heart only to find the ex-captain of the Third already had Shinzou out, aimed at him.

"Don't be so surprised. I didn't say I _didn't_ bring my zanpakutou with me; I said that I didn't _have_ it on me. I stashed it here in case I was in need of it, and look at this, I was right."

"Fine then, let's end…"

That was when a gust blew through and there stood Matsumoto in all her furious glory, arms crossed under a massive bosom and a livid, dangerous glitter in her eyes.

"When I said leave, I meant get the hell out _without_ battling my captain!"

"Ah Ran, it's not—

"YOU SHUT UP SQUINT-FACE!"

"Listen Matsumoto, you don't—"

"YOU TOO SHORTY!"

Hitsugaya was so surprised that his face went slack and his mouth dropped open. In all the time he had been the Tenth's captain his subordinate had never shown him that side of her. Lazy, yes; whiny, yep; reluctant to work, definitely; but never had she shown outright rebellion and true anger to him or at him.

Gin was impressed. He was used to the true Rangiku Matsumoto and what she was capable of, but knew the little captain was not. A slow grin spread across his—

"Don't even finish that smirk Gin or I'll wipe it off your face for you!"

Gin's eyebrows shot up. That was new. "Can I express how surprised I am?"

"NO!"

"He already did," muttered Hitsugaya under his breath.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to say goodbye then."

"No one's stopping you," glared Hitsugaya as he lifted his arm and slid Hyourinmaru home. From the looks of things, it was obvious that he and Ichimaru would have wait and have their no-holds-barred battle another day. Preferably when Matsumoto wasn't around to witness it and get herself involved.

Ichimaru turned to Rangiku, "Sorry to be saying 'goodbye' all over again and have you see me leaving. I know it has always bothered you."

"Don't worry about it Gin," she said indifferently studying a fingernail, "Eh, by now it's an automatic response, so please don't draw this out. Just leave." Then she waved her hand in a shooing gesture, with a bored roll of her eyes.

"Ah, as you wish Ran."

Gin vanished with a shunpo step that was so quick she couldn't follow it, but Rangiku felt the barest hint of a breath on her cheek and an ever so slight impression of lips on hers and then it was gone. For him to be so fast and precise while performing a shunpo was beyond amazing, and finally, ultimately, that was what broke her.

"Well he's gone," said her captain snorted out, "good riddance." Then he turned from the direction Ichimaru had disappeared to see the expression on his lieutenant's face and the few tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Ah… ah…Wha… wha are you… Ack!"

Give him a fight with hollows, Arrancars, Espadas, Aizen even, any day of the week, but this, the feminine tears thing, that did him in every time. He whipped his head one way and the other, looking for help that wasn't going to appear.

"O…okay, uh, let's go Matsumoto. I'll escort you home and uh, make some tea. Yes, that will calm you," the furious glare from her made him amend his words, "er… calm _us_ right down. Definitely, it's exactly what _we_ need after a night like this."

Sometimes on an off day Toshiro idly wondered if he had what it took to be a captain. It didn't happen all the time, just rare moments like these when he was faced with a situation that was beyond him. Comforting someone had never been a forte` of his and he wasn't sure how to go about it.

"Yeah, hot tea," he said weakly. How pathetic did that just sound?

"It's okay taicho. I know you care." In a flash, Matsumoto took a shunpo step and disappeared from the scene.

What he did for the women in his life! Just when he wondered if he should take her elbow or pat her on the back she had flitted out before he could move. Toshiro sighed and took a shunpo step after her.

Hitsugaya caught up to Rangiku at her house as she was straining and making grunting noises trying to scootch the door back into place. He slipped in just before she let go and the door dropped against the doorframe. They both stared at it for a moment, she with her hands planted on hips and he tucking his hands in his sleeves.

"Well, I guess it'll do for now as neither one of us is a carpenter."

Rather than making any remark, the silver-haired youth headed for the kitchen and began rummaging around for the tea things, setting out mugs, and other fixings.

"This has got to be the most emotionally taxing night of my entire life," moaned Rangiku as she fairly wobbled into her living room area, "and I wasn't even drunk! How unlike me."

Once the water was on and well on its way to boiling he heard a weary sigh and the sound of the sofa being plopped down on. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to see his assistant captain had collapsed on the sofa and leaned her head back with a soft groan.

Seeing his subordinate so despondent caused Hitsugaya's lips to turn down as a frown gathered over his brow. Grumpily, he wished now he had had a chance to freeze the twisted snake-smile off Ichimaru's face. The image of a frozen Ichimaru statue gave him deep sense of satisfaction that he allowed a small twitch of a wry grin to touch his lips before banishing it. It wouldn't do to have Matsumoto see his expression as she would know exactly what he was thinking. The look that said "Ichimaru is frostbite waste, let the rejoicing commence." Yes, this was neither the time nor place for that. He turned back to the steeping the tea and put together a tray while also giving him time to wipe his face clean and clear of any feelings concerning Ichimaru.

When everything was finally ready, he poured and then carried the steaming mugs to the couch, placing them on the coffee table before sitting down and handing her one.

Once in hand, Matsumoto stared down at the steam rising from her tea as if in a trance.

He studied her surreptitiously for a moment before quietly instructing, "Drink up Matsumoto, it will help."

"Nothing will help."

"No," he sighed, "you're right, nothing will help with the bigger problem, but for now, the tea will help you unwind and so please for just this brief moment, we will pretend that sitting here drinking tea on your couch will solve everything."

Hitsugaya lifted his mug and watched the steam rising before idly blowing on it.

Rangiku wiggled a bit on her cushion and slouched down in to a more comfortable position. Then surprising him, she laid her head on his shoulder. "If hot tea could help me with the problem that is Gin Ichimaru, I'd cheerfully drown him in it."

"Ah there's the Matsumoto we all know and love," Hitsugaya commented casually.

Rangiku lifted her head to stare at the side of Hitsugaya's face. His eyes were closed as he carefully sipped the hot tea, clearly enjoying the sensation and flavor. Watching as he lowered the mug, Rangiku saw a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips and at the sight, her own expression softened. Her little taicho; who was not so little anymore, no, he was turning into quite the young man, cared about her.

She kept watching as he took another sip and saw the tension of the evening melting little by little from his face. Letting out a soft sigh, she looked down at her own tea, finding what comfort she could from the warmth transferring to cold fingers wrapped around the mug. If she weren't so tired, she would be jealous of his ability to unwind with such a simple action. Still, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"You love me taicho?" she asked softly.

Tea spewed out of Hitsugaya's mouth in a fine mist, spraying the coffee table.

Rangiku chuckled and put her head back on his shoulder, and said in a weary, low voice, "I'll take that as a _'yes __Matsumoto I do, but I refuse to admit it even on pain of death'_ reaction," commented Rangiku with a wry grin.

Hitsugaya wiped a sleeve across his mouth and face before turning to explain in a slightly panicky voice, "No, no, I do… uh, in a friend way, you know, not like, you know _love_ love but more like, _like_ love. You know what I mean, right?"

"Ah," she pouted back at him, "just _like_-love then?" Seeing how flustered and twitchy he was becoming, Matsumoto took pity on him and reached a hand up to ruffle the silver locks on top of his head, "I _like_-love you too taicho."

He batted at her hand, grumbling, "Stupid Matsumoto, you drive me crazy."

"Thanks taicho, that's the nicest thing anyone has said to me tonight!"

He rolled his eyes and then took another sip of tea. Now that the adrenaline was fading, his eyes were getting heavy. It had been a really long day and he hadn't even gotten a wink of sleep at all this night!

Suddenly the mug seemed to weigh more than his body weight and Hyourinmaru's combined (dragon form or human form) so before he ended up dropping it and spilling liquid everywhere, he leaned forward, set it down and then fell back against the cushion with a weary sigh.

Glancing over at Matsumoto and noted how her head was slowly sinking backward onto cushion, her eyes shut and the sound of a soft snore already purring from her open lips. He envied that she could pass out that quickly. It had to be a gift.

He reached over and gently took the mug out of her lax grip before she dropped it and placed it on the table with his own.

Hitsugaya gave his head a shake as he reached for the blanket and unfolded it across her lap, letting half of it fall across his own. He ran a hand across the downy soft blanket, funny; he had visited here many times and had never noticed it before. Unconsciously the fatigued taicho brushed his fingers over the material as part of his brain luxuriated in the velvety feel, while barely able to keep his eyes open.

Suddenly a huge yawn escaped him, reminding him of how exhausting the day had been. He really needed to get his butt off the couch and get going. After all, tomorrow was a special breakfast date with Momo and he didn't want to miss it. Heavy lids drifted down over blue-green eyes as they slowly clouded over…

_What an incredibly soft, fuzzy blanket_, he thought, _I should look into buying one for Momo_. Yes indeed, it certainly… was really… reeeeally… sss..ooo..fff...t...

* * *

m(_ _)m Thank you for reading.

* Title is from Warren Zevon's The Wind: _Keep Me In Your Heart for Awhile_

Every time I hear this song, it makes me think of Gin and Rangiku,

Warren Zevon's The Wind: _ She's Too Good for Me, _

I want her to be happy

I want her to be free

I want her to be everything

She couldn't be with me  
….

I have everything she wants

But nothing that she needs  
…..

I could hold my head up high

And say that I left first

Or I can hang my head and cry

Tell me which is worse  
If you go and ask her why

She might say she's not sure

Trust me when I tell you

I'm not good enough for her


	26. The Morning After

Tite Kubo owns Bleach, not Dwellin. Proof that reality isn't what it should be.

* * *

**Chapter 26**

**The Morning After**

Momo woke abruptly, eyes flying open at the first screeching sound of her alarm and turned to slap the 'off' button. Instantly quiet descended again. Making a sigh of contentment, she stretched her arms over her head and yawned, shaking off the night's last dregs of slumber and climbed out of bed. It was when she automatically rubbed the goose bumps on her arms did she become aware of the sharp chill in the morning air that was soon forgotten in the rush to get dressed.

Later, while gazing at a reflection of herself in the bathroom mirror, Momo silently vowed, _This was a day of new beginnings_, while raising a clenched fist of determination before her. She lowered it sheepishly upon realizing she looked a bit silly.

Still, despite that, this _was_ going to be the first day of a whole new Momo Hinamori! A Hinamori who was going to show the rest of Soul Society just what she was capable of; one who was ready and willing to take up the duties and responsibilities of her office and lead Fifth Squad competently and efficiently until a new captain was appointed! She smiled and hummed, life was just that good.

Then, rushing through her morning ablutions, she hurriedly gathered and tied her hair into the familiar bun and gave it a satisfied pat before heading for the door. Once out in the brisk morning air, and heading down the path, Momo made sure to keep her stride to a brisk walk. It was hard to rein in the nearly overpowering desire to shunpo (or skip) all the way to Shiro-chan's.

Today was also going to be the official start of their relationship, publically that is, and that had taken some doing on her part. Shiro-chan was so touchy about his private business being make public that he was almost paranoid about it. Unfortunately for her, that included information on him dating _her_ who didn't care who knew about the two of them dating.

Yes indeed, she grinned through clenched teeth thinking about their differences of opinion (his being wrong of course!) before he finally agreed (i.e. 'gave in'). This _was_ going to be the start; and to mark it off, she and Shiro-chan were going to have breakfast together at the Tenth.

In the communal mess hall.

In front of everyone.

The smile that had started out a grimace turned into something warmer as thinking about marking the official 'first day' of their being a couple caused her cheeks to turn a rosy color. She reached up to a cheek to see if it was as warm as she imagined it. No, strangely enough, it felt normal.

It was then she caught it; the very 'he' she had been thinking of popped up on her internal "Shiro-chan" 'radar'. Slowing to a walk and then a stop, Momo tilted her head in puzzlement. This was odd. There was a strange 'flavor' in his reiatsu. Not only that there was a 'flutter' to it she associated with sleep, but that couldn't be right because it was coming from—

It wasn't long before she arrived outside of Rangiku's door and noted with curiosity and a whiff of growing uneasiness that her friend's door was once again outside of its tracks and leaning against the doorframe. The night before Rangiku, Toshiro, and her had done a quick fix. What could have possibly happened since then?

Studying it curiously, Momo knew she could easily push the door in but it would then crash to the floor and a polite guest should never announce themselves in such a manner. A small frown formed as she decided that even though it was more awkward than heavy, not to wrestle with the thing to try and get past it. Instead she quickly created and then breathed out a little used kido chant, tweaked with another chant she created on the spot, and the door lifted silently and slowly to glide through the air. She moved it to the side a bit before letting come to rest gently against the wall.

Obviously something happened last night. Looking around and surveying the room she wondered idly if Rangiku decided to have a party after she and Shiro-chan had departed. She then pooh-poohed the idea. No, that couldn't be it, her well-endowed friend had truly seemed in no mood to throw a party and neither was the house a liquor-bottle strewn trash heap which was the usual common result the day after one of Rangiku's famous drinking parties.

Taking a few steps into the entry way, she took a moment to look around while removing her sandals and placing them by the doorway. Everything was definitely in order and nothing seemed too out of place. Only a couple of things she noticed appeared a little out of norm, the pink sash thrown over the lampshade, some cushions in the corner of the living room, and remains of tea fixings. This did not have the earmarks of riotous time being had by all; or riotous time had by one. Actually, there wasn't a sign of riotous anything as far as she could tell.

Momo moved in and bent over to pick up a few stray pillows before tossing them into the living area to land on a chair, then moved into the kitchen and began straightening up, cleaning any dirty dishes and putting them away before she washed off the counters so Rangiku didn't have to do it when she got up. In short, all she was doing was doing Rangiku a favor by dealing with the debris of day-to-day living. Then she turned her attention to the living room and picked up the rest of the pillows in the corner. It was when she came around the end of the couch, ready to call out for her friend that Momo stopped short at an unexpected sight.

On the couch looking like two black kittens entwined around each other, were two sleeping lumps. The smaller of the two was nearly buried, quite literally, under the other's voluptuous figure. It was anyone's guess as to why that particular one hadn't been smothered in his sleep.

Rangiku's arms were wrapped around her taicho and hugging him to her as if cuddling a small silver-haired captain plushie to her mammoth bosom. Her nose was buried in the top of his spiked hair and with every exhale a lock fluttered back and forth. For his part, Hitsugaya was nearly face-planted in his fukutaicho's generous bosom, which was why Momo's first impression was that he could have easily have smothered in this sleep. Rangiku was using Toshiro for a teddy bear and he was using her as a living blanket. Both were draped and wrapped around each other to the point it was a wonder they didn't meld into one shinigami being in their sleep. She clapped hand over mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

Any other girlfriendmight have had the problem with jealousy snarling up at the sight after jumping to what seemed to be the obvious conclusion, but that wasn't Momo's way. Instead, what she wanted to do was let the laughter fly free that was bubbling up. Ah, the two of them looked so cute! If Shiro-chan didn't actually die from lack of oxygen, he would die from embarrassment at being caught in such a position. The thought that she could make a fortune from this caused a small snort of laughter to blurt out through her fingers before she slapped the other hand up to help smother the noises that were bubbling up her throat.

_Oh, this is going to be so good. I can't wait to hear the story_, thought Momo as she continued to study the sleeping pair while cautiously pulling one hand away from her mouth and then the other. She kept them raised in case another loud guffaw tried to erupt out and wake the two from their beauty sleep. She didn't want that to happen just yet. No, this was one of those moments that begged to be savored.

Just then Rangiku's nose started twitching and she reached up to swat at it while grumbling in her sleep. Momo wasn't sure but it sounded something like "just walk away then," but she could have heard it wrong.

Rangiku shifted, twisting a bit to roll Toshiro from the side up onto her chest and readjusted her grip on him. It must have been uncomfortable for a sharp groan of protest squeezed out of him as he tried to alter his own position.

Momo might not know how these two ended up like this but it was clear to her was that both were on the verge of waking up. Slowly their breathing changed and both were shifting and twitching more.

"_Well, at least one of them is going to be waking up soon. Hmmm, I think I'd better have some coffee and breakfast ready. I am sure they will need the sustenance in order to explain_," she thought, a huge grin stretching across her face as she headed for the kitchen. This was just making her day!

Later, once the table was set and the food started, Momo stood back and looked on with satisfaction. She may not be the best cook in the world, but she wasn't too shabby at it either.

Then a thought occurred to her and she reached inside the folds of her shikahasho and with a small "aha" of triumph, produced the item. "Lucky me, I remembered to tuck my Society of Female Soul Reapers cell phone in my pocket this morning!" She observed brightly, although quietly, not wanting to risk waking the two sleepers; not yet anyway.

Originally, she was going to bring her camera to breakfast with her, but knowing Shiro-chan as she did, he would confiscate it on the spot…or freeze, whichever occurred to him first. So, the plan was to pass her phone to Rangiku in order to get a photo of their first public meal as a couple so she could put it in a scrapbook. But this, oh this was so much better, and would definitely have to be hidden away someplace safe so Shiro-chan couldn't find it and destroy it. She might have to look into renting a lockbox at the First Shinigami Bank.

The diminutive soul reaper moved on silent sock-feet to stand in front of the couch and snapped a few shots of the sleeping couple. Then she smiled while saving to a special file. This was pure gold.

It must have been the click of the shutter on the phone in the morning silence, because at the sound and as if on cue, two sets of shinigami's eyes snapped open. Both peered blearily about in puzzlement, but neither seemed aware of their situation. _Not yet anyway_, grinned the bun-wearing vice-captain mischievously. She quickly tucked the phone back in her pocket. Rangiku may find the photos amusing, but not everyone in the shinigami pile-up would be of the same mind. Pocket the goods and hide the evidence, and _that_ was the way of a cat burglar, sneaky, sneaky!

"Good morning!" sang out Momo with a grin. "Today's weather started out chilly and overcast, but will definitely warm up later on with clearing skies. It'll be a beautiful day for one and all!"

"Turn off… blasted radio!" whined Matsumoto, lifting a languid hand over her eyes, but it was too much effort to hold in place so she let it slide off until her eyes were hidden under the crook of her elbow, "I left strict instructions that no lights be used in the waking process."

"Good morning Rangiku!" Momo tried again, "I have coffee going and the food is almost done. In fact, I need to get back over there and get it served up. I hope you two are ready for a good breakfast, Momo-style!" She issued that last bit over her shoulder while hurrying back to the kitchen area.

"Oh good Momo's here and making breakfast; she's my best friend," muttered Rangiku, elbow still covering her eyes, when it finally sunk in.

"GIN!" She spun and flipped the very warm, squishy pillow she had been hugging so that it was under her. Then, the very warm, squishy cushion began squawking in protest. A puzzled frown appeared; she didn't have a squishy cushion, especially one that squawked. Did she?

"Get… off… me, Matsumoto!"

She peered down and found the face of her taicho frowning back up at her. He looked particularly out of sorts.

"What are you doing down there?" She asked groggily rubbing a hand over her face. Then dropped it to tap him on the head to make sure he was real. She had had these kinds of dreams before. Although this one might be real as the tapping only made her taicho's scowl deepen. Also, one brow began twitching in that odd way he had when seething quietly; before venting.

"Better question: 'Why don't you get off of me so I can breathe!" The silver-haired prodigy hissed through clenched teeth.

"That wasn't a quest…Oh!" Matsumoto moved with alacrity because it was well known how impatient her taicho could be at times and waking up under a curvy, amply-endowed woman was not on his bucket list. Yes, she knew him that well.

Although, as she scrambled up, Rangiku reminded herself that there were quite a few shinigami that would have paid good money to wake up in the morning to find her sitting on them. Perverts.

Standing, she placed her fists in the small of her back and arched backwards, stretching out her impressive torso. Then straightening, she offhandedly took note that her taicho was also stretching and yawning. They caught each other's eye at the same time and then froze mid-yawn as the same thing occurred to them both at the same time.

"Ah…." Started Matsumoto, but really, she couldn't think of a thing to say.

"I have the distinct feeling that I could be so screwed," breathed out Hitsugaya as he glanced over to the kitchen where the love of his life was puttering around before looking back at his assistant captain, "Even though this odd sensation of impending doom is not one I am familiar with."

A smiling Momo called out to them and turning their attention to her they saw she moved toward the breakfast table and began scooping out onto each plate. "Are you two hungry?"

Rangiku sniffed. Coffee. Breakfast. It was a siren's call to her stomach which began rumbling, alerting her to the fact it was empty and wanted to be filled. Now.

"Right! Let me wash my hands and freshen up, and I am so there!" Rangiku darted for her room.

He watched Momo's back as she returned to the kitchen.

"Uhm, Momo, this isn't what it looks like," began Hitsugaya, still frozen in place and dread clawing up from his belly. He wasn't sure if he could eat right now; his stomach felt clenched and a touch queasy.

There was no frame of reference in his past for him to draw upon. But one didn't have to be a kid-genius captain to figure out the ramifications (all bad) of spending the night on the couch of a beautiful and voluptuous woman when said woman also slept on said couch on said night and then having said girlfriend walk in and catch them the next morning in said position. It said a lot and not any of it good.

"What? What did you say? I didn't hear that, could you repeat that again?" The muffled question came from around the wall that partially hid the kitchen from the living room.

"Nothing! I said nothing!" Hitsugaya yelled with a wince. He sighed and then walked toward the table. Pulling out a chair, he sank down with a weary sigh. The condemned man was at least allowed one last meal before the execution, right? "Uh, just that it's not what it looks like." Yes, his stomach was now starting to cramp.

"So Shiro chan, what _does_ it look like?" Momo asked softly after arriving at the table with a pot of freshly-brewed coffee. First she poured some into Rangiku's mug and only half into Toshiro's mug. He wasn't much for coffee being a tea drinker and all, but she had a hunch that this morning he was going to need it. She straightened to find his huge, elfin eyes latched onto her face with an expression she rarely found there: worry, embarrassment, and alarm.

"Well, it looks like Matsumoto and I were… it looks like last night we… and you saw, and well, it wasn't!" Hitsugaya finished lamely, eyes dropping to stare at his plate.

Momo smiled fondly, eyes taking in the messy silver locks falling down in front of his eyes and around his ears giving him a woebegone appearance. She moved back to the counter so as to not be sucked in by those jeweled orbs of his when he lifted them up again. Looking into his dejected face would cause her to lose what little show of indifference she had and throw her arms around him in a comforting hug.

This was a once-in-a lifetime situation that was too good to pass up; it was humorous to see him acting so frazzled for a change. Returning with the last of the serving platters, she was able to keep her face neutral while dishing the food out.

She remarked, "Shiro-chan, I know you and I know Rangiku. I have always known you two were friends." With her back to him, it was safe to allow an impish grin to form, "I just didn't know the friendship was going to blossom into being sleeping buddies."

"IT DIDN'T…. WE'RE NOT!" A panicked Toshiro sprang to his feet and slammed a fist on the table. "It's NOT what it looks like!"

Momo took pity on him. Over her shoulder she smiled tenderly at him and said, "I think it looks like you two fell asleep while talking. _I_ don't think it is what _you_ think _I_ think it looks like." She turned away to keep from laughing out loud at the baffled look spreading over his face.

Finally, finishing up, she turned and carried the last few things they needed. After placing the jars down, she finally met his eye to smile warmly at him. Then glancing down, her brow lowered in mock severity, "But you can't eat until you also wash your hands, Shiro-chan," and gestured to the sink.

Darting over to the sink, Toshiro quickly washed up while trying to keep an eye on Momo. He couldn't figure out her mood. The response he was getting was not what he was expecting. Was something wrong with him or was something wrong with her? Deep in thought, he slowly folded the towel and rehung it. Then with a deep breath, Toshiro turned, stealing himself to explain one more time.

"Uhm…"

Momo laid her napkin across her lap and then looked up to give him her full attention.

As soon as those sweet soft brown eyes focused on him, sweat broke out under his arms, prickling and interrupting his train of thought. This was the most uncomfortable he had ever felt in his whole life. Ever. Finally, he lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck while looking off to the side.

Hitsugaya stepped hesitantly toward the table while clearing his throat and tried again, "I just wanted you to know that…"

"Oh stop it!" Momo chuckled while watching him move to sit in the chair across the table from her, and then continued, "If you are worried that I am upset, just know that I'm not. Now, no more about it. Napkin in your lap please, and eat while it is still hot!"

She turned toward the fukutaicho's room and called out, "It's ready Rangiku, hurry up before it gets cold!"

There was a black and ginger blur that blew past them and in the next blink the once-empty chair was filled. Without looking at either of them, Rangiku began spooning copious amounts of sugar into her mug before lifting and guzzling it. Upon finishing she slammed it down in front of her and demanded, "More! Must. Have. More!"

While reaching for the butter, Toshiro grumbled, "You could get it yourself you lazy beast."

Rangiku studied her taicho for a moment as Momo rose to fetch the coffee pot. His cheeks were flushed and he was looking everywhere but at her. So upon the return of her diminutive friend with the ever-important pot of life, she looked up to thoughtfully study Hinamori's calm face.

Then, the vice-captain of the Tenth said, in a serene yet earnest tone, "You do know Momo, that there was nothing going on between taicho, me, and my girls last night, right?"

Grinning, Momo assured her friend, "Of course there wasn't Rangiku!"

"Good, now fill my mug."

Toshiro tried to glare at his fukutaicho but this morning he just didn't have the energy for it so instead he reached for the mug in front of him and took a swallow of the bitter stuff. Better bitter than diabetic-coma sweet the way Matsumoto seemed to enjoy taking hers.

"Again!" Rangiku said, lifting up her cup towards Momo.

"Rangiku! That much in such a short time is not good for you!"

"I have huge breasts so I can handle it." She gestured impatiently with the mug at Momo and carefully watched as more black gold was poured, although not as much as the first couple of times. Rangiku then used it to gesture at her captain who had his eyes squeezed shut, was pinching the bridge of his nose, and also could be heard softly muttering "why me?" over and over.

"So Momo, just to make sure we all understand," Rangiku said as she nodded in her captain's direction, "there was absolutely nothing going on last night between taicho and me. We're friends, right taicho?" She grinned over her mug at the young man across the table.

A groan was her only answer, but Momo was beaming at her and nodding, "Well of course Rangiku, to know you is to love you."

"How true, how true!" She took a drink and then with the other hand, lifted an index finger to point at Hitsugaya, said, "And besides, taicho knows I'm too much woman for him. One night with me would be his first and last!"

Two voices yelled out at the same time:

"**RANGIKU!" **

"**MATSUMOTO****OOOO!"**

Hitsugaya leaped to his feet, his hands held out imploringly to Hinamori and yelled out, "NO Momo, I don't know any such thing! How would I know that!? I don't! **And** I don't WANT to know either!"

He turned to glare at the object of his fury. This over-endowed epitome of perfect laziness! _"To know her was to love her," _**not** on a hollow's best day! The aggravating woman was ever bound and determined to drag him into the fetid bowels of romance hell!

He yelled at her, "I swear! You make me want to tear my hair out! It's a wonder it's not falling out already from all the stress of _**dealing**_ **with you**!"

The busty woman ignored them both, brushed at a lock of hair with the back of her hand and then began guzzling down the contents of her recently filled mug. Vitality and animation were beginning to return to her synapses and brain cells; and bless the first zanpakutou; there just might be life at the end of her caffeine rainbow yet.

She raised a slender ginger-colored brow at the two traumatized and aghast people staring at her with mouths open.

Raising the mug and this time taking a sip, Rangiku observed, _Morning people! Can't abide 'em;, entirely too animated and energetic for my tastes!_

Watching her, Toshiro could see that embarrassed astonishment (Momo) and indignant outrage (Hitsugaya), were not only being ignored but not even registering with the fukutaicho in the least.

Seething, Toshiro turned from his infuriating subordinate to Momo and put aside for now how very much he wanted to bankai Matsumoto into the next decade.

However, as he looked at Hinamori and saw her eyes light up as she gazed back at him along with a warm smile, his blood pressure began to sink back to normal. Still, there was a leaden lump in his chest. Now he was getting upset, but in a different way than he had been with Matsumoto.

It was hard to remain calm when all he wanted to do was fall on his knees and beg Momo's forgiveness. She may insist that he needn't worry but this considerable weight pulling him down wouldn't let him forget. He would write out a thousand apology letters if she said it would make her feel better. He would suffer every cold shoulder so deservedly inflicted upon him, and every nose lifted in disgust, if at some point in time she would just forgive him because he couldn't even begin to forgive himself.

How the hell did he keep getting into situations like this? No, that wasn't right. From under long dark lashes teal-colored orbs narrowed as they cut over to glare again at his lieutenant. Yes, this coffee-sucking vampire was the common component that always led to the mischief making he had to deal with on a regular basis.

Just then Matsumoto looked up, caught his eye and smiled.

He sighed, the ire draining from him as he admitted defeat. When had she become his friend and not just his subordinate?

Hearing a chuckling sound, he looked up to find both women contemplating him with soft and sweet smiles. He _hmphed_, crossed his arms and looked off to the side. He would never understand women; they were so… not men-like, which made them… odd. (In a pleasant way. In a _really_ pleasant soft, curvy sort of way.)

"It's going to be a good day Rangiku."

Toshiro first eyed Momo and then Matsumoto as the two friends grinned at each other.

Letting out a small coffee-scented burp, Rangiku agreed with a laugh, "It already is, Momo!" Then, for the first time, she put her mug down and turned her attention to the plate before her filled with a western-styled breakfast.

Hitsugaya sighed again feeling defeated for reasons he couldn't explain, so was quite relieved to hear a soft knock sound at the door as if the visitor was hesitating about interrupting. At this point, _any_ interruption would be welcome!

"Come in," he called out before remembering it was Rangiku's house. He looked over to his fukutaicho but she didn't seem to mind seeing as her cheeks were bulging with pancakes and syrup was dripping down her chin. She looked up and waved a fork around before diving back in. He took that as an affirmative.

"Er, I would, but, I'm not sure how," came the answer in a quavering youthful sounding voice. If he had to guess, it sounded like one of the new recruits from the Academy. Was it one of his?

"Just come around to the back door," he called out.

"Yessir!"

A moment later was another polite knock, this time at the back. Momo bounced up out of her chair with a cheerful grin and opened the door for a young shinigami that looked even younger than him. Finally he was getting old enough to actually have novices younger than him!

This boy sported dark purple hair with long-spiked bangs with the rest of his hair pulled into a long ponytail trailing down his back. Deducing from the boy's behavior that he was a new member to the Tenth, Toshiro watched with a trace of amusement the messenger's eyes flew back and forth between the seated shinigami.

The yellow-eyed youth stuttered out, "I…I…You…Sir…" he stopped talking, face aflame with embarrassment and dropped his eyes to look at his feet.

Hitsguaya turned to give Matsumoto an accusatory stare. "Are you using the new recruits as your personal attendants again?"

"Mmmph, heff ween boff!"

"Never mind," he replied wearily. "I don't want to know." Then he frowned as he warned, "Just don't turn him into your own personal servant."

The young person with dark purple hair lifted his gaze, first to his captain, then at Tenth's vice-captain and back again, obviously jumpy and anxious, and wondering if he had broken some unspoken rule or other.

Momo, seeing his gaze switching from one leader to the other, asked in a gentle voice, "Did you have a message for Hitsugaya taicho?"

The boy startled, eyes wide as he turned to study Momo and then gulped before answering, "Noo, er yes!"

"Iffn bo me?"

"Huh?" He blushed and then amended, "Huh ma'am? I mean, 'excuse me ma'am'?"

"Oh don't mind her, she's in some euphoric pancake-y, syrupy heaven," sighed Hitsugaya as he turned to study this new member assigned to his company. He knew the youth hadn't yet been introduced to him, officially or unofficially as he would have remembered it. That meant one of two things, either he had only been assigned in the past couple of days or Matsumoto had been hiding him out of sight while also using him as her personal "go-fer".

"What's your name, recruit?"

"Uh, uh er, Katsutoshi, uhm Katsutoshi Hihou

This is where having a photographic memory came in handy. Ah yes, now he remembered receiving and reading the file regarding this cadet who had recently graduated with honors. He also remembered stamping the papers with the official Tenth mark approving the placement into his squad. He just hadn't laid eyes on the newly assigned member yet. He cut a quick look over at his assistant. Wonder who he had to thank for that?

"Uh, this is for," with a trembling hand, Hihou pulled out an envelope out of his shikahasho and extended it to Hitsugaya. "This came for you, sir, and they said it was important. I was told that an incident occurred last night and this is the official, 'captain's-eyes only report. So, I also need you to sign for it."

Momo noted with interest and some concern as it appeared saying even that little bit was almost too much for the new member to handle. If he blushed any harder he was certain to faint dead away.

The silver-haired captain took the envelope from the newest member while noticing the seal of the First Company over the flap. More likely it was a report on the _lack_ of evidence of the events of the night before. Toshiro quickly signed the slip of paper also extended to him along with a pen. Good thing the lad had brought one with him, otherwise he'd have to sign it with the butter knife.

He cast a quick look over at Matsumoto who had frozen mid-chew and returned his look with a knowing one of her own.

Turning back to the purple-haired youth, he handed back the pen and nodded a dismissal. Hitsugaya then received the deepest bow of respect he had ever seen. Upon rising from the bow, a bemused Toshiro waved permission for Katsutoshi to depart. Then he expelled a deep breath before breaking the seal and opening the envelope to read the contents.

After reading it twice through, although he didn't need to, Toshiro looked up to find two sets of eyes riveted on him.

"I guess we should fill Momo in on everything that happened last night…" he started and then added with flat look, "Well, as soon as you can find the time to stop shoveling everything on the table into your mouth. And yes, I did notice you stole my pancakes, don't think that I didn't."

"Ofphm ma humvree."

"Don't bother trying to explain; just pass me the toast," muttered Hitsugaya wearily.

* * *

My betas have not been over this chapter. They have not seen this chapter. They are busy beta-ing (if that's even a word) another story I am writing and I don't like to abuse their kindness, or overwork them.

It is such a pain when inspiration takes a zig-zag on story creation. I have learned if I don't go where the inspiration leads, then it will refuse to speak at all later on. Which really sucks. So, I was hijacked from this story for a while until I was able to hammer out several chapters of the new one.

So, if this is horrible, it's all on me.

Hoped you enjoyed the Momo/Toshiro/Rangiku interaction.

Thanks for reading m(_ _)m

_Dwellin_


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